BA in Philosophy and Physics in Boston United States | Boston University

This interdisciplinary program, offered jointly by the Physics and Philosophy departments, allows students to examine the deep connections between theoretical physics and scientific philosophy, tackling profound inquiries about space, time, and material existence. The curriculum equips students for advanced study in the conceptual underpinnings of contemporary physics. Graduates may continue their academic journey in diverse areas such as physics, philosophy, science history and philosophy, or science communication.

Program Objectives
Upon completing this program, students should demonstrate:

Comprehension of key historical developments and contemporary debates in metaphysics (existence and causation) and scientific philosophy (realism versus instrumentalism, theory evolution and evaluation, reductionism versus emergence).
Knowledge of core philosophical issues in physics and their analytical frameworks: conceptions of spacetime (absolute versus relative, substantive versus relational, static versus dynamic) in relativity theories, along with substantivalist, relationist, and constructivist perspectives; probability and irreversibility in statistical mechanics; quantum phenomena like duality, measurement, and entanglement with their Copenhagen and hidden variable interpretations; quantum field theory concepts including locality, divergence, and renormalization; and structural realist approaches to these challenges.