Shenker Orly

Orly Shenker is a Professor at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in philosophy of science, philosophy of statistical mechanics, and philosophy of mind. She holds the Eleanor Roosevelt Chair in History and Philosophy of Science and directs the Sidney M. Edelstein Center. Her work focuses on reductive physicalism, particularly 'Flat Physicalism,' addressing challenges in cognitive science and foundational physics. She has held roles at institutions like LSE and Haifa University, contributing to debates on quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.

Research Interests: Shenker’s research integrates statistical mechanics with metaphysics, advocating for physicalist reductionism. She critiques computational theories of mind and explores implications of quantum foundations for thermodynamics. Key themes include the autonomy of special sciences, multiple realizability, and the psychological arrow of time.

Publications: Her work spans philosophy of physics, mind, and science. Recent contributions address computational neuroscience’s challenges, preferred basis problems in quantum mechanics, and the philosophical underpinnings of entropy and information. She co-edited volumes on levels of reality and Itamar Pitowsky’s influence.

Awards & Roles:除 Eleanor Roosevelt Chair外, she directs the Edelstein Center, promoting interdisciplinary research in science’s history and philosophy. Her work bridges physics and philosophy, offering novel frameworks for understanding mind-brain identity and scientific realism.