Du Châtelet Prize

2024 Du Châtelet Prize in Philosophy of Physics

Topic: Physics in the writings of 19th century women
The deadline for submissions has now passed. 

 

Du Chatelet

More information about the prize

The Du Châtelet Prize in Philosophy of Physics celebrates excellence in philosophy of physics and promotes breadth across the field both historically and philosophically. Each year, a prize committee of scholars in the field invites submissions on a particular topic. The prize winner receives feedback and support from the committee, and the paper is considered for publication in Studies. The goals of the prize are to support young scholars working in philosophy of physics, to strengthen the historical and philosophical breadth of the field, and to promote some of the very best work being done by students and junior scholars.

Submissions are considered under blind review. Should a possible conflict of interest be recognized, committee members are recused accordingly.

 

 

2023 Winners: Marta Bielinska and Caspar Jacobs

Marta Bielinska
Caspar Jacobs

“A Philosophical Introduction to Hidden Symmetries in Physics.”

  • Topic: Laws and symmetries in the practice of physics

  • Committee: Elena Castellani, Nina Emery, Bas van Fraassen, Marc Lange, 

    with input from Nancy Cartwright

     

 

 

 

 

Winner of the 2023 du Chatelet Prize, Ovidiu Babeș, with Katherine Brading

2022 Winner: Ovidiu Babeș

“Mixed Mathematics and Metaphysical Physics: Descartes and the Mechanics of the Flow of Water."

  • Topic: The complex interplay between physics and mechanics in Descartes’ quantitative explanation of the flow of water
  • Committee: Roger Ariew, Dan Garber, Dana Jalobeanu, Alison Peterman, and Sophie Roux

 

 

 

 

 

Miguel Ohnesorge

2021 Winners: Miguel Ohnesorge: “Pluralizing Measurement: Physical Geodesy's Measurement Problem and its Resolution”

Jamee Elder

and Jamee Elder: “The ‘Direct Detection’ of Gravitational Waves” 

  • Topic: Measurement practices in the physical sciences: correlation, calibration and stabilization
  • Committee: Alisa Bokulich, Hasok Chang, Daniel Mitchell, and Wendy Parker

 


 

 

 

Joshua Eisenthal

2020 Winner: Joshua Eisenthal

“Hertz’s Mechanics and a unitary notion of force”, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 90 226-234. 2021.

  • Topic: Mathematics as a tool of conceptual innovation in physical theory and/or experiment, 1780-1890.
  • Committee: Katherine Brading, Janet Folina, Doreen Fraser, Lydia Patton and Sheldon Smith

 

 

 

 

 

2019 Winner: Adwait Parker

“Newton on Active and Passive Quantities of Matter”, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 84 1-11. 2020.

  • Topic: “How the parts of matter act on one another, as that issue stood at any time in the period 1680-1780”
  • Committee: Katherine Brading, Mary Domski, Andrew Janiak, Chris Smeenk, George Smith