Three and a half decades later, the “Forman thesis” remains a classic – exactly because it is controversial. It continues to spark methodological discussion and inspire new empirical studies.

Our conference at the University of British Columbia combines new research and reflection from younger and senior scholars. It brings new work in multiple lines of study into productive exchange.

The conference will be held at St. John's College, UBC. It is open to the public.

Paul Forman, “Weimar Culture, Causality, and Quantum Theory, 1918-1927: Adaptation by German Physicists and Mathematicians to a Hostile Intellectual Environment,” Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences (1971) 3: 1-115

Editor's Foreword

Parts I-II

Part III

Opening Session, 9 a.m.
Karl Hufbauer, John L. Heilbron, Paul Forman

Science Meets Culture in Europe, 10:45 a.m.
Deborah Coen, Richard Staley, David Aubin, Robert Brain, Commentator

Quantum Mechanics and the Forman Thesis, 2 p.m.
Suman Seth, David C. Cassidy, S. S. Schweber, Dieter Hoffmann, Commentator

The Popular and Philosophical Environment for German Science, 4:15 p.m.
Arne Schirrmacher, Michael Stöltzner, Cathryn Carson, Alan Richardson, Commentator

Saturday, 24 March 2007
St. John's College

Historical Methodology, 9 a.m.
Norton Wise, Alexei Kojevnikov, Terry Shinn, Mitchell Ash, Commentator

Science and Cultural Politics in Germany, 11:15 a.m.
Stefan Wolff, Mark Walker, Richard H. Beyler, Helmuth Trischler, Commentator

The Life Sciences and the Forman Thesis, 2 p.m.
Cay-Rüdiger Prüll, Cornelius Borck, Kirill Rossiianov, Jonathan Harwood, Commentator

Quantum Physics and New Challenges, 4:15 p.m.
Olival Freire, Anja Skaar Jacobsen, Kenji Ito, Cathryn Carson, Commentator

Sunday, 25 March 2007
St. John's College

Beyond Germany: Comparison Cases, 9 a.m.
Karl Hall, Masakatsu Yamazaki, Michael Eckert, David Kaiser, Commentator

General Discussion, 11:15 a.m.