Louis Vervoort
- Associate Professor: Faculty of Humanities / School of Philosophy and Cultural Studies
- Louis Vervoort has been at HSE University since 2022.
Degrees
University of Montreal
Additional information
Before obtaining a PhD in philosophy of science, I obtained a PhD in physics (Université de Marseille) and a post-doc in physics at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. This mixed experience in philosophy and physics naturally oriented my interests to the philosophy of (quantum) physics, of artificial intelligence.... but also to more classic philosophical topics in philosophy of mind (free will, consciousness) and epistemology. In general, I believe there is a huge potential for a cross-disciplinary fertilisation between philosophy and science — going both ways.
Courses (2024/2025)
- Academic English Writing (Optional course; 2, 3 module)Eng
- Free Will, Consciousness, Determinism (Optional course (faculty); 4 module)Eng
- Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (Postgraduate course; 2 year, 1 semester)Eng
- Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (Optional course (faculty); 4 module)Eng
- Past Courses
Courses (2023/2024)
- Academic Writing (Optional course; 2, 3 module)Eng
- Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Humanities; 3 year, 4 module)Eng
Courses (2022/2023)
- Academic English Writing (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Humanities; 4 year, 2, 3 module)Eng
- Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (Bachelor’s programme; Faculty of Humanities; 3 year, 4 module)Eng
Publications
Articles (philosophy of science, of physics, of AI, of mind; epistemology):
- K. Papatryfonos, L. Vervoort, A. Nachbin, M. Labousse, J. W. M. Bush (2024), “Static Bell test in pilot-wave hydrodynamics”, Physical Review Fluids 9, No. 8, 084001, doi https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.084001.
- L. Vervoort (2024). “Are Hidden-Variable Theories for Pilot-Wave Systems Possible?” In: Castro, P., Bush, J.W.M., Croca, J. (eds) Advances in Pilot Wave Theory. Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, vol 344, p. 161-187. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49861-9_11
- This is a reworked version of an article from 2018, cf. below, which recently was cited in the review article “Sounds of Science” in which a group of physicists (incl. Nobel laureates) were asked to summarize key discoveries in physics of the last decades (see https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1402-4896/ad2abe -- cf. reference [352])
- (submitted) L. Vervoort, “Causes in neuron diagrams, and testing causal reasoning in ChatGPT. A glimpse of the future of philosophy?” (2024).
- (arXiv preprint, submitted) L. Vervoort, V. Mizyakov, A. Ugleva. “A criterion for Artificial General Intelligence: hypothetic-deductive reasoning, tested on ChatGPT” (2024), arXiv preprint, https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.02950.
- L. Vervoort, H. Shevlin, A. Melnikov, A. Alodjants, “Deep Learning Applied to Scientific Discovery: A Hot Interface with Philosophy of Science” (2023), J. General Philosophy of Science, Vol. 54, p. 339–351, cf. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10838-022-09625-2
- V. Nikolaev, L. Vervoort, “Aspects of Superdeterminism Made Intuitive” (2023), Foundations of Physics 53, 17, cf. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-022-00648-9
- G. Andreoletti, L. Vervoort, “Superdeterminism: A Reappraisal” (2022), Synthese, Vol. 200, 361, cf. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11229-022-03832-6.
- L. Vervoort, A. Shevchenko, “Epistemic Relativism and the Gettier Problem: Insights from Philosophy of Science” (2022), Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, Vol. 59, 1, p 58 – 81, cf. http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/19677/1/LV_Gettier_101220_vc_BLA.pdf
- L. Vervoort, A. Melnikov, M. Chauhan, V. Nikolaev, “Artificial Consciousness, Superintelligence and Ethics in Robotics: How to Get There ?” (2021), Mind and Matter, Vol. 19(1), pp. 7–43, cf. https://www.mindmatter.de/resources/pdf/vervoortwww.pdf
- L. Vervoort, T. Blusiewicz, “The CMT Model of Free Will” (2020), Dialogue, the Canadian Philosophical Review, Volume 59, Issue 3 pp. 415 – 435 cf. DOI:10.1017/S0012217320000104, cf. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/dialogue-canadian-philosophical-review-revue-canadienne-de-philosophie/article/cmt-model-of-free-will/AF6EC2B93397285BCFD4A85820A8FCA9
- L. Vervoort, T. Blusiewicz, “Free Will and (In)determinism in the Brain: A Case for Naturalized Philosophy” (2020), THEORIA : International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, Volume 35/3, 345-364 cf. DOI:10.1387/theoria.21302, and https://ojs.ehu.eus/index.php/THEORIA/article/view/21302
- L. Vervoort, “Probability Theory as a Physical Theory Points to Superdeterminism”, Entropy (2019), 21(9), 848 (1-13), cf. https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/21/9/848
- Reviewed in Russian media (Ria Novosti / Russia Today; English version on Sputnik website: https://sptnkne.ws/A6x3)
- The Russian review article in Ria Novosti / Russia Today was the most read ‘popular science’ article of 2019 (> 50,000 reads, cf. https://www.utmn.ru/presse/novosti/nauka-i-innovatsii/856732/)
- Most viewed article in Entropy’s special collection “Quantum Information Revolution: Impact to Foundations”, cf. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/qi_revolution
- L. Vervoort, “Are Hidden-Variable Theories for Pilot-Wave Systems Possible?”, Foundations of Physics (2018), Vol 48-7, pp. 803-826, cf. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10701-018-0184-x
- L. Vervoort, “No-go theorems face background-based theories for quantum mechanics” (2016), Foundations of Physics, Volume 46, Issue 4, pp 458-472, cf. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10701-015-9973-7
- L. Vervoort & Y. Gingras, “Macroscopic Oil Droplets Mimicking Quantum Behaviour: How Far Can We Push an Analogy?” (2016), International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 29:3, 271-294, cf. http://philpapers.org/rec/VERMOD
- L. Vervoort, “The Manipulability Account of Causation applied to Typical Physical Systems” (2014), Lato Sensu, Revue de la Société de Philosophie des Sciences, Vol. 1, 62-70 (in English), cf.
http://sites.uclouvain.be/latosensu/index.php/latosensu/article/view/43
- L. Vervoort, “Bell's Theorem: Two Neglected Solutions”, Foundations of Physics (2013) 43, pp. 769-791, cf. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10701-013-9715-7
- L. Vervoort, “Causality Revisited in the Light of Quantum Mechanics”, Dialogue, the Canadian Philos. Review (2013) 51: 539-561 (in French, translation available), cf.
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=8929725
Articles (philosophy, on-line):
- L. Vervoort, “The concept of probability: an analytic version of von Mises’ interpretation”, in preparation, cf. https://philpapers.org/archive/VERP-3.pdf
- L. Vervoort, “Environmental Human Rights : Urgency for a Concrete Formulation” (2014b), cf. http://philpapers.org/rec/VEREHR
- L. Vervoort, “Does chance hide necessity ? A reevaluation of the debate ‘determinism – indeterminism’ in the light of quantum mechanics and probability theory” (2014c), PhD thesis, cf. http://philpapers.org/rec/VERDCH
Articles (physics, theory and experiment):
Titles of selected articles only, full list in Google Scholar
- L. Vervoort, R. Ferreira, and P. Voisin, “Spin-splitting of the subbands of InGaAs-InP and other ‘no common atom’ quantum wells”, Semiconductor Science & Technology 14 (1999) p. 227 http://iopscience.iop.org/0268-1242/14/3/004/pdf/0268-1242_14_3_004.pdf
- Vinh Le Thanh, V. Yam, P. Boucaud, F. Fortuna, C. Ulysse, D. Bouchier, L. Vervoort and J.-M. Lourtioz, “Vertically self-organized Ge/Si(001) quantum dots in multilayer structures”, Physical Review B 60 (1999) p. 5851
- T. Guettler, A. Triques, L. Vervoort, R. Ferreira, Ph. Roussignol, P. Voisin, D. Rondi, and J. C. Harmand, “Optical polarization relaxation in InxGa1-xAs-based quantum wells: Evidence of the interface symmetry-reduction effect”, Physical Review B 58 (1998) p. 10180 (Rapid Communications) : http://prb.aps.org/abstract/PRB/v58/i16/pR10179_1
- L. Vervoort, R. Ferreira, and P. Voisin, “Effects of interface asymmetry on hole subband degeneracies and spin-relaxation rates in quantum wells”, Physical Review B 56 (1997) p. 12744 (Rapid Communications): http://prb.aps.org/abstract/PRB/v56/i20/pR12744_1
- A. Filonov, A. Kholod, V. Novikov, V. Borisenko, L. Vervoort et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 70 (1997) p. 744
- F. Bassani, L.Vervoort et al., Thin Solid Films 279 (1997) p. 179
- L. Vervoort, A. Saúl, F. Bassani, F. Arnaud d'Avitaya, “The electronic energy levels of Si-based nanocrystalline materials: theory compared with experiment”, Thin Solid Films 279 (1997) p. 163
- F. Bassani, L. Vervoort, I. Mihalcescu, J. C. Vial, and F. Arnaud d'Avitaya, “Fabrication and Optical Properties of Si/CaF2(111) Multi-Quantum Wells”, J. Appl. Phys. 79 (1996) p. 4066
- S. Ossicini, A. Fasolino, F. Bernardini, F. Arnaud d’Avitaya, L. Vervoort et al, in Advanced Nonlinear Materials for Optics and Opto-electronics, ed. V. I. Pustovoy, SPIEE 2777 (1996) pp. 27-37
- L. Vervoort, F. Bassani, I. Mihalcescu, J. C. Vial, F. Arnaud d'Avitaya, “Efficient Visible-Light Emission from Si/CaF2(111) Heterostructures Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (b) 190 (1995) p. 123
- F. Arnaud d’Avitaya, L. Vervoort, F. Bassani, S. Ossicini, A. Fasolino and F. Bernardini, “Light Emission at Room Temperature from Si/CaF2 Multilayers”, Europhys. Lett. 31 (1995) p. 25
- F. Bassani, L. Vervoort et al. in Semiconductor Heteroepitaxy, ed. B. Gil and R.-L. Aulombard (World Scientific, Singapore, 1995) pp. 286 – 293
- F. Arnaud d’Avitaya, F. Bassani, L. Vervoort et al. in Physics, Chemistry and Applications of Nanostructures, ed. V. E. Borisenko, A. B. Filonov (Belorussian Academic Press, Minsk, 1995) pp. 1-17.
Patents:
- 4 patents in total (1 French patent, 3 US patents + 2 translations in German) in semiconductor nanotech: list on request. (Some can be found by Google Patent: US Patent US7982309, US20090194882, US Patent US20110003440, US Patent US 2009/0032871A1)
Conferences
- 2023
Сonference of the European Philosophy of Science Association (EPSA2023) (Белград). Presentation: Deep Learning: A Hot Interface with Philosophy of Science. Can AI Master Theory-Based Thinking?
Philosophy:
- “Causes in neuron diagrams, and causal reasoning tested in ChatGPT”, conference “Artificial Intelligence and Society”, HSE, Moscow, July 2-3 2024, cf. https://cs.hse.ru/aisschool/2024/
- “On the possibility of contextual hidden-variable theories: theory and experiments in hydrodynamics”, conference Quantum Information and Probability: from Foundations to Engineering (QIP24), Växjö, Sweden, June 11 – 14 2024, cf. https://lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/current/events/2024/conferences/qip24/
- “Deep Learning: A Hot Interface with Philosophy of Science. Can AI Master Theory-Based Thinking?”, conference of the European Philosophy of Science Association (EPSA2023), Belgrade, Sept. 20-23 2023, cf. https://philsci.eu/EPSA23
- “Epistemic Relativism and the Gettier Problem: Insights from Philosophy of Science”, talk at the International Conference on Formal Philosophy, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Oct. 11-13 2023, cf. https://llfp.hse.ru/en/formalphilosophy/2023/#e_programme
- “Pathways to artificial general intelligence using deep learning: a conceptual analysis”, talk at the conference “Artificial Intelligence and Society”, June 29-30 2023, Moscow, cf. https://cs.hse.ru/aisschool/
- “Epistemic relativism and the Gettier problem: insights from philosophy of science”, February 14 2023, talk at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk.
- “Probability Theory as a Physical Theory Points to Superdeterminism”, Invited talk at the conference “Superdeterminism and Retrocausality”, May 17-20 2022, University of Bonn, organized by Sabine Hossenfelder (Un. Frankfurt), Huw Price (Cambridge) and Tim Palmer (Oxford) (cf. http://www.superdetermined.org/; invited; travel and hotel costs payed).
- Invited discussant at the Conference “New Directions in the Philosophy of Physics”, May 27-29 2022, Viterbo, Italy, cf. http://carnap.umd.edu/philphysics/conference.html
- “Artificial Consciousness and Ethics in AI: How To Get There?”, online talk at the Philosophy Department of University of Tilburg, Netherlands, February 3rd 2022
- “On the explanatory power of the hidden-variables hypothesis”, (online) talk at the conference of the German Physical Society, September 1st 2021, cf. https://smuk21.dpg-tagungen.de/ (program is in the link).
- “Artificial consciousness and superintelligence in AI: how to get there?”, talk at the conference EENPS-2021 (Eastern European Network for Philosophy of Science), June 10 2021, University of Belgrade, cf. https://eenps.weebly.com/schedule.html and https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AaAkiFgvIRRAWxufUG2uoV0q85SkXAgaz8Uly66ftUc/edit#gid=2030510160 (This talk was part of a symposium within the conference organized by myself and Maria Sekatskaya.)
- “Pilot wave theories and no-go theorems”, (online) talk at the International Conference on Advances in Pilot Wave Theory, cf. http://pilotwave.campus.ciencias.ulisboa.pt/programme/, University of Lisbon, July 5th 2021.
- “Perspectivism in philosophy of science and Gettier’s problem”, talk at the Annual Conference uAnalytiCon-2021: Contextualism, Knowledge, and Truth, May 14 2021, University of Eketarinburg, cf https://www.uanalyticon.ru/.
- “Artificial consciousness and superintelligence in robots and AI: trends in philosophy, AI and cognitive neuroscience”, online talk at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (http://lcfi.ac.uk/), Cambridge, UK (on invitation of Huw Price, Academic Director, September 16th 2020).
- “Philosophy of science and artificial intelligence: two sides of the same coin”, online talk at the Duesseldorf Center for Logic and Philosophy of Science (DCLPS), University of Duesseldorf, Germany (on invitation of Gerhard Schurz, Director, November 17th 2020), cf.: https://www.philosophie.hhu.de/personal/philosophie-ii-wissenschaftstheorie-logik-und-erkenntnistheorie/dclps/videos-talks/lectures/louis-vervoort-philosophy-of-science-and-artificial-intelligence-siamese-twins-november-17-2020
- “The hypothesis of hidden variables: a unifying principle, after all?”, online talk at the University of Geneva (October 8th 2020, invitation by Chris Wuethrich).
- “Artificial consciousness, superintelligence and ethics in robotics: how to get there?”, on-line talk at ITMO University St-Petersburg (June 1st 2020).
- “Free will, causality and Bell’s theorem”, talk at the conference “Free will and Causality”, University of Dusseldorf, Germany, cf. https://www.philosophie.hhu.de/en/personal/philosophie-ii-wissenschaftstheorie-logik-und-erkenntnistheorie/dclps/events/conference-free-will-and-causality-september-26-to-27-2019 (September 26-27, 2019)
- “Probability theory as a physical theory points to superdeterminism”, talk at the conference “Quantum Information Revolution: Impact to Foundations (QIRIF)”, Vaxjo, Sweden, cf. https://lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/conferences/previous-conferences/quantum-information-revolution-impact-to-foundations-qirif-10-13-juni-2019/ (June 10-13, 2019)
- “Free will and consciousness: an interdisciplinary project at the University of Tyumen”, invited talk at the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology (Russian Academy of Sciences), Moscow, Russia (December 7th, 2018)
- “Are hidden-variable theories for pilot-wave systems possible ?”, talk at Foundations2018, the 19th UK and European Conference on Foundations of Physics, cf. https://foundations2018.sites.uu.nl/ (July 11th, 2018)
- “Do we have free will ?: research at the interface of philosophy, IT, neuroscience and physics”, Talk at the Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia (December 12th, 2017)
- “Does chance hide necessity ?”, Talk for the inauguration of the School of Advanced Studies, University of Tyumen, Tyumen (September 16th, 2017)
- “Fluid mechanics: a testing ground for the philosophy of quantum mechanics”, talk at the conference “Particles and Waves”, University of Mexico (UNAM, May 21st, 2017)
- “Fluid mechanics: a playground for the foundations of physics”, talk at the Mathematics Department, MIT Boston, on invitation of John Bush (November 3rd, 2016)
- “On the unification of theories in Hilbert Space and in Minkowski Space”, talk at the Fourth International Conference on the Nature and Ontology of Spacetime, Minkowski Institute, Varna, Bulgaria (May 30th, 2016)
- “Conscience on Board”, public causerie on the philosophy of quantum mechanics (questions & answers in a TV documentary, cf. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jFMiDJDR0), Théâtre Outremont, Montreal (March 31st, 2016)
- “Is a universal concept of cause possible ?”, presentation at the Round Table on Causation at the Triannual Congress of the Société de Philosophie Analytique, Montréal, Canada (June 19th 2015)
- “A slice of quantum. Kant and Spinoza in quantum mechanics”, talk at the CIRST, University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada (December 18th 2014)
- TV interview on the philosophy of quantum mechanics for “Canal Savoir” (“Knowledge Chanel”), Quebec’s educational TV station (August 8th 2014)
- “Est-ce qu’une relation de fertilisation croisée entre philosophie et physique peut encore exister ?”, talk at UQAM, Philosophy Department (January 31st 2014)
- “Can the Bell Inequality be violated through local interactions with a background medium?”, talk at the International Foundations of Physics Conference at the Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany (July 31st 2013)
- “Le monde est-il déterministe, après tout ?”, talk at the 16e Colloque des Cycles Supérieurs du CIRST (Centre Interuniversitaire de Recherche sur la Science et la Technologie), Montreal (Nov. 29th 2012)
- “The manipulability account of causation applied to typical physical systems”, talk at the IVe Congrès de la Société de Philosophie des Sciences (SPS), Montreal (June 2nd 2012)
- “A link between the interpretation of probability and of quantum mechanics”, talk at the FPP-6 (Foundations of Physics and Probability - 6) Conference, Växjö, Sweden (June 14th 2011)
- “L’Analogie en Philosophie”, participation at a Round Table for ACFAS (Association Francophone pour le Savoir), Univ. Sherbrooke (May 10th 2011)
- “The interpretation of probability: role of the observer”, talk at the Annual Congress of the Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science, University of Concordia, Montreal (May 29th 2010)
Creativity & Innovation (selected talks):
- “The art of innovation”, talk at the Montreal Rotary Club, Montreal (Oct. 6th 2010)
- “Methods and best practices of innovation and creativity enhancement”, talk at IREQ, Research Institute of HydroQuebec, Montreal (Nov. 11th 2010)
- “Social innovation”, talk at the J.W. McConnell Foundation, Montreal (Nov. 3rd 2011)
- “Introduction to the neuroscience of creativity”, talk at the R&D centre of Bombardier Aeronautics, Montreal (June 21st 2012)
Employment history
2022 – … |
Assistant Professor, School of Philosophy and Cultural Studies, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia |
2017 – 2022 |
Assistant Professor, School of Advanced Studies, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia |
2015 – 2017 |
Coordinator at UNESCO Chair MATECSS, Materials for Energy Conversion, Saving and Storage (led by Prof. Federico Rosei), Institut National de Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Montreal, Canada |
2014 – 2015 |
Post-doc at UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal), CIRST (Centre Interuniversitaire de Recherche sur la Science et les Technologies) |
2009 – 2013 |
PhD in Philosophy of Science, University of Montreal With mention ‘excellent’ |
Interviews and article reviews in media
Interview by HSE reporter: https://www.hse.ru/en/news/986947847.html
Article review in RIA Novosti: https://ria.ru/20191128/1561674658.html
Article review in RIA Novosti; English version on Sputnik website: https://sputniknews.com/20211013/russia-seeks-to-teach-ai-to-think-differently-1089866706.html
‘Philosophy Is Thinking Outside the Box’
In October 2024, Louis Vervoort, Associate Professor at the School of Philosophy and Cultural Studies of the Faculty of Humanities presented his report ‘Gettier's Problem and Quine's Epistemic Holism: A Unified Account’ at the Formal Philosophy seminar, which covered one of the basic problems of contemporary epistemology. What are the limitations of physics as a science? What are the dangers of AI? How to survive the Russian cold? Louis Vervoort discussed these and many other questions in his interview with the HSE News Service.