Curriculum Vitae
Philosophy Department Tel. Office: 1-410-455-3282, Home: 1-410-547-9096
University of Maryland Baltimore County Fax: 1-410-455-1070
1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore Email: jberkov@umbc.edu; jzberkovitz@yahoo.com
MD 21250, USA
· Assistant Professor, Philosophy, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), 2000-
· Adjunct Professor, Philosophy, University of Maryland College Park, 2001-
· Associate Fellow, Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, 2001-2003
· Associate Fellow, Centre for the Philosophy of Natural and Social Sciences (CPNSS), London
School of Economics (LSE), 2000-
· Visiting Fellow, CPNSS, LSE, January-August 2003
· Visiting Assistant Professor, Philosophy, LSE, 1998-2000
Ph.D. Philosophy, Cambridge University (Oct. 1996)
Thesis: Quantum Non-locality
Supervisors: Michael Redhead (LSE), Jeremy Butterfield (Oxford Univ.)
M.A. History and Philosophy of Science (distinction), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (May 1992)
Thesis: De Finetti’s Subjective Probability Theory and Quantum Phenomena
Supervisor: Itamar Pitowsky (Hebrew University)
B.Sc. Economics (distinction), Technion: Israel Institute of Technology (May 1987)
Philosophy of Science Esp. Methodology, Phil. of Physics, Phil. of Economics
Metaphysics Esp. Causation
Philosophy of Probability
In my research, I have used philosophical analyses of causation and probability in order to clarify the nature of the quantum realm; the notions of randomness and chaos in deterministic processes; causal inference in the natural and social sciences; the foundations of decision theory; and scientific methodology (for details, see my Statement of Research). In addition, I also I plan to work on scientific realism, in particular on scientific modelling and approximate truth.
· 2002: ‘On Causal Loops in the Quantum Realm,’ in T. Placek and J. Butterfield (eds.), Non-locality
and Modality, Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Modality, Probability
and Bell’s Theorems, Kluwer, pp. 235-257.
· 2002: ‘On Causal Inference in Determinism and Indeterminism,’ in H. Atmanspacher and R. Bishop
(eds.), Between Chance and Choice: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Determinism, Imprint
Academic, pp. 237-278.
· 2001: ‘On Chance in Causal Loops,’ Mind 110, pp. 1-23.
· 2000: ‘The Many Principles of the Common Cause,’ Reports on Philosophy, Vol. 20 (an issue on
probabilities as tools for philosophical analysis), pp. 51-83.
· 2000: ‘The Nature of Causality in Quantum Phenomena,’ Theoria, Vol. 15/1 (an issue on causality
in physics), pp. 87-122.
· 1999: ‘Chances and Frequencies in Causal Loops,’ Discussion Paper Series, Centre for Natural and
Social Sciences, LSE (DP40), pp. 1-12. (The paper was invited for the proceedings of a Popper
Seminar on Causation, CPNSS, LSE, Nov. 1998.)
· 1998: ‘Aspects of Quantum Non-Locality. II: Superluminal Causation and Relativity,’ Studies in
History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Vol. 29, pp. 509-545.
· 1998: ‘Aspects of Quantum Non-Locality. I: Superluminal Signaling, Action-at-a-Distance, Non-
Separability and Holism,’ Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Vol. 29, pp. 183
-222.
· 1995: ‘What Econometrics Cannot Teach Quantum Mechanics,’ Studies in History and Philosophy
of Modern Physics, Vol. 26, pp. 163-200.
· 1993: ‘Newcomb’s Problem Versus Everyday Problems,’ Iyyun, The Jerusalem Philosophical
Quarterly, Vol. 42, pp. 323-331.
· 2001: Review of Peter Smith’s Explaining Chaos (CUP, 1998), British Journal for the Philosophy of
Science, vol. 52, pp. 201-205 (co-authored with Roman Frigg).
· ‘A New Framework for Holistic Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics’ (co-authored with Meir
Hemmo): Invited by Foundations of Physics for Jim Cushing’s memorial issue, in progress.
Invited Reviews
· ‘Action at a Distance’: A review article for the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, in progress.
· Review of Patrick Suppes and Mario Zanotti’s Foundations of Probability with Applications –
Selected Paper (CUP 1997), for Mind.
· ‘The Ergodic Hierarchy, Decay of Correlations, and Chaos’ (co-authored with Roman Frigg and Fred
Kronz). The paper was presented at the New Directions in the Foundations of Physics Conference,
Maryland (May 2002) and will soon be ready for submission.
· ‘Modal Interpretations and Relativity: A Reply to Myrvold.’
· ‘On Probabilistic Dependence in Causation.’ The paper was presented at the Cause and Chance
Workshop, London (Sept. 1999); University of Texas at Austin (Sept. 1999); USC (March 1999); LSE
(Feb. 1999); and Oxford University (Feb. 1999).
· ‘Reinstating the Newcomb’s Paradox.’
· ‘Reinstating the Newcomb’s Paradox’
- March 19, 2003, Philosophy Department, Utrecht University
- March 7, 2003: Choice Colloquium, London School of Economics
·‘An Outline of a New Relational Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics’ (co-authored with Meir
Hemmo)
- February 19, 2003: Philosophy-of-Physics Discussion Group, Sub-faculty of Philosophy, Oxford
University
- March 20, 2003: Foundations of Science Colloquium, Utrecht University, Holland
· ‘The Many Principles of Causal Inference’
- June 2002: Causal Inference: Metaphysics and Modelling Workshop, CPNSS, LSE
- March 20, 2003: Quantumclub, Utrecht University, Holland
- June 2002: Philosophy Dept., Haifa University
· ‘On Causal Inference in Determinism and Indeterminism’
- June 2001: Interdisciplinary International Workshop on Determinism, Ringberg Castle, Germany
· ‘On Causal Loops in the Quantum Realm’
- Aug. 2001: Modality, Probability, and Bell’s Theorems NATO Advanced Research Workshop,
Krakow
- May 2001: History and Philosophy of Science Program, University of Maryland College Park
- May 2001: Physics Department, UMBC
- Apr. 2001: Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh
- March 2001: Sigma Club, Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Sciences (CPNSS), LSE
- Nov. 2000: Philosophy of Science Association Conference, Vancouver
- Sept. 1999: Philosophy Dept., University of Texas at Austin
- Nov. 1998: Philosophy-of-Physics Colloquium, Sub-faculty of Philosophy, Oxford University
- Feb. 2000: Philosophy Dept., University College London
- July 1999: Philosophy Dept., Sheffield University
- Nov. 1998: Popper Seminar on Causation: A Mini Workshop on Causation, CPNSS, LSE
- Feb. 2000: Measurement Group, CPNSS, London School of Economics
· ‘Aspects of Quantum Non-Locality: A Metaphysical Reflection’
- Feb. 2000: Philosophy Dept., UMBC
· ‘On the Nature of Causality in Quantum Phenomena’
- Nov. 1999: History and Philosophy of Science Dept., Bristol University
· ‘On Probabilistic Dependence in Causation’
- Sept. 1999: Cause and Chance Workshop, CPNSS, LSE
- Sept. 1999: Philosophy Dept., University of Texas at Austin
- March 1999: Philosophy Dept., USC
- Feb. 1999: Philosophy Dept., LSE
- Feb. 1999: Philosophy-of-Physics Discussion Group, Sub-faculty of Philosophy, Oxford University
· ‘The Many Principles of the Common Cause’:
- Aug. 1999: 11th International Congress on Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science, Krakow
- Feb. 1998: Philosophy Dept., Northwestern University
- Jan. 1998: Philosophy Dept., LSE
· ‘Non-local Causation in Relativistic Space-time’
- Oct. 1998: Sigma Club, CPNSS, LSE
- Oct. 1997: Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh
- Oct. 1997: Philosophy Dept., Northwestern University
· ‘Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity’
- July 1997: History and Philosophy of Science Dept., University of Cambridge
· ‘Confirmation à la Carnap, Popper and Lakatos’
- Apr. 1997: Conference on the Grand Philosophical Approaches to Science, Haifa University, Israel
· ‘Stochastic Einstein Locality, Action-at-a-Distance and Holism’
- March 1997: Israel Philosophy-of-Physics Colloquium, Tel-Aviv University
· ‘Must Causes Be Means to Ends?’
- March 1997: Philosophy Dept., Bar Ilan University, Israel
- Feb. 1997: Philosophy Dept., Haifa University, Israel
- Jan. 1996: History and Philosophy of Science Dept., Tel-Aviv University, Israel
- Dec. 1996: Philosophy Dept., Ben-Gurion University, Israel
· ‘Decision, Causation and Chance’
- Oct. 1996: Popper Seminar on Causation, CPNSS, LSE
- Aug. 1996: 5th UK Conference on the Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Oxford
- July 1996: History and Philosophy of Science Dept., University of Cambridge
· ‘Newcomb’s Problem and the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox’
- May 1996: Philosophy Dept., Haifa University
· ‘The Classical View Versus Quantum Phenomena’
- May 1995: Sigma-Club Conference on the Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Cambridge
· ‘What Econometrics Cannot Teach Quantum Mechanics’
- May 1994: History and Philosophy of Science Dept., University of Cambridge
· Jan. 2003 – August 2003, Visiting Fellowship, CPNSS, LSE
· June 2002 – Aug. 2002: UMBC Summer Research Fellowship
· Sept. 1997 – Aug. 1998: Visiting Fellowship, Center for Philosophy of Science, Univ. of Pittsburgh
· Sept. 1997 – Aug. 1998: Rothschild Fellowship to support my Fellowship at the Univ. of Pittsburgh
· May 1997 – Sept. 1997: British Council Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Cambridge
· Dec. 1995 – Apr. 1997: Israel Committee of Higher Education Postdoctoral Fellowship, Haifa Univ.
· Oct. 1993 – Sept. 1995: Overseas Research Student’s Award, University of Cambridge
· Oct. 1995 – Sept. 1997: Cambridge Overseas Bursary, University of Cambridge
· Oct. 1993 – Dec. 1995: Gerstenberg Foundation Scholarship, University of Cambridge
· 1991/1992 and 1989/1990: Student Scholarship, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
· 1989/1990 and 1987/8: Asseo Foundation for Excellence in the Humanities Scholarship, Hebrew Univ.
Teaching Experience
Graduate level: Courses and seminars in the Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Physics, Philosophy of Economics and Causation (for details, see my Teaching Statement).
Thesis Supervision
· Ph.D. Theses: LSE (1998-2000) – I co-supervised 2 Ph.D. theses in the Philosophy of Physics and a
Ph.D. thesis in the Philosophy of Economics.
· M.Sc. Theses: LSE (1998-2000) – I supervised 10 M.Sc. theses in the Philosophy of Economics and
Political Philosophy (the students were M.Sc. students in Economics and Philosophy and the
Philosophy of Social Sciences programmes).
· Final Projects in Electronics: I supervised final projects in microcomputers and electronic at Ort College
of Engineering, Jerusalem (1988-1992)
· British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
· Erkenntnis
· Mind
· Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics
· Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
· 1998-2000: Co-ordinator of the M.Sc. Program in the Philosophy & History of Science, LSE.
· 1998-2000: Tutor of 14 students in the M.Sc. Program in Economics and Philosophy, LSE.
· 1998-2000: Tutor of 35 students in the Undergraduate Program in Philosophy and Economics, LSE.
· A 3-day conference on New Directions in the Foundations of Physics, American Institute of Physics,
Maryland, May 3-5, 2002.
Participants: 70 faculty, researchers and graduate students from the USA, Britain, Canada, Israel and
Sweden (Co-organised with Jeff Bub, Robin Schuster and the Maryland Foundations of Physics
Group).
Due to the success of the conference, the members of the Maryland Foundations of Physics Group are
planning to make it an annual event. The next conference is due on May 2-4, 2003, and will be
dedicated to the memory of Prof. Rob Clifton (Philosophy Department, University of Pittsburgh), who
died recently.
· A 1-day conference on the Philosophical Foundations of General Relativity, London School of
Economics, May 1999. Participants: 60 faculty, researchers and graduate students from Britain,
Belgium, Germany, Holland and USA (Co-organised with Michael Redhead)
The conference proceedings were published in a special issue of the Studies in History and Philosophy
of Modern Physics (2000), Vol. 31B, no. 2, ‘Relativity: History and Interpretations.’