politicus

If you're here for the philosophy you might not have heard: a few days ago, Vinay Deolalikar of HP Labs has posted a draft paper containing a serious attempt to prove that P ≠ NP, one of the Clay Mathematics Institute's Millenium Problems.  The math/theory scene is all aflutter over it. This wiki page collects the current state of the discussion in various places, notably on Dick Lipton's blog Gödel's Lost Letter. It's a problem in computational complexity theory—the logic connection is that the proof uses a result due to Immerman and Vardi from finite model theory, viz., that over finite ordered structures, the relations expressible in first-order logic with a least fixed point operator FO(LFP) are exactly the polynomial-time computable ones.  Alas, the prevalent opinion now seems to be that the proof is probably not correct.

EDL's 'Max' complained:12.12.2009 00:57speaking on the switzerland mosques.....theire architecture isn't really inkeeping with the surrounding area. I doubt they would have got planning permission anyway (and they shouldn't of - why should a mosque be allowed to be built, yet other buildings can't?)"MaxLocal MosqueHow exactly is this mosque not in keeping with the local architecture.Unless you

Review"Contemporary Anarchist Studies comes at precisely the right moment in history. From anarchist theory and pedagogy in the academy, to the practices of anarchists in the streets, this book collects the insights of many of the most well known names in the field, and provides both a cogent analysis of our present as well as a hopeful direction for our future."-- Dr. Corey Lewis, Humboldt State

The Institute Vienna Circle is hosting a workshop on Carnap next week, June 28 and 29.  The program is here.

Anarchists Versus EDL/UAF June 21, 2010 A controversial few weeks on the streets of Whitechapel culminated on Sunday with a complete no-show by the EDL (not surprising given that their “leadership” had spent the last week urging their members not to attend Sunday after the cancellation of the UK-IC conference at the Troxy). However, there was a strong turn out from local people prepared to defend

These two Assistant Professorships in philosophy have just been advertised at LMU Munich (see below). The deadline for applications is July 2nd, 2010. (German language skills are not mandatory.) Soon also several postdoctoral and doctoral positions in philosophy (at the new Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy) will also be advertised.

(1) Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich is seeking applications for an Assistant Professorship in Logic and Philosophy of Language at the Chair for Logic and Philosophy of Language (Professor Hannes Leitgeb) at the Faculty for Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and the Study of Religion. The position, which is to start from October 1st 2010, is for three years with the possibility of extension. Technically, it is a so-called 'Akademische Ratsstelle auf Zeit' in the Bavarian university system, which means basically that one has the rights and perks of a civil servant.

The appointee will be expected (i) to do research in logic and philosophy of language, (ii) to teach five hours a week in these or in related areas, and (iii) to contribute to the new Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (MCMP) which is about to be founded at the LMU. The successful candidate will have (iv) a PhD in philosophy or logic, and (v) teaching experience in philosophy or logic.

The appointment will be made within the German A13 salary scheme. More information on this position can be found at:

http://www.uni-muenchen.de/aktuelles/stellenangebote/wissenschaft/20100617151216.html

Women are currently underrepresented in the Faculty, therefore we particularly welcome applications for this post from suitably qualified female candidates. Given equal qualification, severely physically challenged individuals will be preferred.

Applications (including CV, certificates, list of publications) should be sent to

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Geschäftsstelle Hauspost Fach 41 Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1 80539 München E-Mail: alexander.nawrath@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

by July 2nd, 2010. Contact for informal inquiries: Prof. Dr. Hannes Leitgeb

(2) Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich is seeking applications for an Assistant Professorship in Mathematical Philosophy at the new Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (MCMP) which will be tied to the Chair in Logic and Philosophy of Language (Prof. Dr. Hannes Leitgeb) at the Faculty for Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and the Study of Religion. The position, which is to start from October 1st 2010, is for three years with the possibility of extension. Technically, it is a so-called 'Akademische Ratsstelle auf Zeit' in the Bavarian university system, which means basically that one has the rights and perks of a civil servant.

The appointee will be expected (i) to do philosophical research assisted by logical or mathematical methods, (ii) to teach five hours a week in areas of philosophy in which logical or mathematical methods are applied, and (iii) to take on management tasks in the new Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy. The successful candidate will have (iv) a PhD in philosophy or logic, and (v) teaching experience in philosophy or logic.

The appointment will be made within the German A13 salary scheme.

More information on this position can be found at:

http://www.uni-muenchen.de/aktuelles/stellenangebote/wissenschaft/20100617151904.html

Women are currently underrepresented in the Faculty, therefore we particularly welcome applications for this post from suitably qualified female candidates. Given equal qualification, severely physically challenged individuals will be preferred.

Applications (including CV, certificates, list of publications) should be sent to

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Geschäftsstelle Hauspost Fach 41 Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1 80539 München E-Mail: alexander.nawrath@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

by July 2nd, 2010. Contact for informal inquiries: Prof. Dr. Hannes Leitgeb

Two months ago, Blogger turned off FTP publishing on blogs, which meant I couldn't update LogBlog anymore.  It's taken a while, but the blog has now moved.  Well, I managed to import all the old posts into Drupal, the CMS we use at the University of Calgary and which generates the rest of my site.  I still need to fix the URLs, add archive pages, get the blogroll to display, etc., but at least I can post again.  Your feed reader should be automatically redirected to the new feed, but if it isn't, here's the URL:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/rzach/rss.xml

If you find any broken links, disappeared images, commenting weirdness, etc., do let me know!

If you see this, I probably don't have to tell you the new URL for the mainpag, but in any case, here it is:

http://www.ucalgary.ca/rzach/blog/

“Against fascism in all its colours” – statement from Tower Hamlets activistsAuthor: Nurul Islam and othersThe entry of the English Defence League (EDL) into Tower Hamlets to protest against a meeting organized under the auspices of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) is a direct provocation to stir up racial tensions, foment dissent among faiths and attempt to bring disunity

The UNITED AGAINST FASCISM (UAF) political machinery will storm ahead this Sunday 20th June marching against… erm… well no one… From the outset the UAF stitched up the Tower Hamlets mobilisation, a great write up from the AWL gives you a taster of exactly how, and they themselves can be accused of stirring up fear and hysteria within the local community. The morally bankrupt Left would sooner

After months of 'commie-bashing' rhetoric, the EDL have perversely decided they like communists after all, and are recommending their members join the march against Sharia, organised by the Communist Workers' of Iran, who have previously described the English Defence League as "a racist right wing thuggish group, EDL".Communists everywhere can confirm that the EDL are still racist, right wing

The extreme right-wing Islamophobic English Defence League is led physically and fed ideologically by America's far-right neoconservative network of Islamophobic bloggers and NGOs. Frank Gaffney Jnr, who founded the Center for Security Policy, is using his propaganda network, designed to further PNAC and associated far-right think tank policies and associated businesses in the middle-east, in a

Published: Sunday 30 May 2010 16:17 by Gerrybeee | ShareTagged as: social_struggles Neighbourhoods: Report of anti-racist activity in response to EDL march in Newcastle 29th May 2010, from North East Against Racism.We showed them racism would not go unchallenged! EDL confined to Bigg Market. Anti-racists the dominant presence in toon.Thanks to everyone who took part today - on all the anti-racist

Here are my slides from my PM@100 talk.

Here are my slides from my PM@100 talk.

Here are my slides from my PM@100 talk.

Just up on the SEP, by Yaroslav Shramko and Heinrich Wansing, an entry on truth values.

Just up on the SEP, by Yaroslav Shramko and Heinrich Wansing, an entry on truth values.

Just up on the SEP, by Yaroslav Shramko and Heinrich Wansing, an entry on truth values.