Dr. Charles Sebens

Charles Sebens is an assistant professor of philosophy at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) doing research at the intersection of philosophy and physics. Charles uses tools from philosophy to assess competing proposals about what physical laws govern the quantum realm. In collaboration with Sean Carroll, he has argued that the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics fits the data. He has also put forward a new interpretation of quantum mechanics which—like the many-worlds interpretation—includes parallel universes, but—unlike the many-worlds interpretation—posits that these universes interact with each other via Newtonian forces. In his recent work, Charles has taken a step back from quantum mechanics and focused on better understanding classical field theories like electromagnetism.

As a student, Charles studied physics and philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, and the University of Michigan. Before coming to Caltech, he was an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego.