Professor Karim Thebault
BA(Oxon.), MSc(Lond.), PhD(Syd.)
Current positions
Professor of Philosophy of Physics
Department of Philosophy
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
I am Professor of Philosophy of Physics in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bristol. I am also a member of the Bristol Philosophy of Physics Group and an external member of the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (LMU Munch) and a founding trustee and past president of the Philosophy of Physics Society.
My current research is principally within physics and the philosophy of physics. My main research focus is the problem of time in classical and quantum theories of gravity. Further topics of current interest include dynamical approaches to symmetry, black hole physics, analogue gravity, quantum cosmology, the arrow of time in quantum theory, the foundations of general relativity, and quantum chemistry.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
IF25\100347 Rigour in Physics (Rami Jreige)
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of PhilosophyDates
01/10/2025 to 01/10/2027
IF24\101045 The Mystical Physicists
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of PhilosophyDates
01/01/2025 to 31/12/2026
The Universe as an Open System
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of PhilosophyDates
01/02/2022 to 31/01/2024
Singularity Resolution and Explanation in Bouncing Quantum Cosmology
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of PhilosophyDates
01/01/2022 to 31/12/2022
Analogue Simulation in Modern Physics
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Department of PhilosophyDates
01/01/2017 to 30/09/2018
Thesis supervisions
Desiderata for an Account of Representation that Accommodates Analogue Simulation
Supervisors
Models, data, and unobservable phenomena in physics
Supervisors
Time Reversal Symmetry in Particle Physics
Supervisors
Functional Reduction in the Physical Sciences
Supervisors
Empiricism in the philosophy of science
Supervisors
Am I A Boltzmann Brain? Boltzmann Brains and Possible Worlds Considerations
Supervisors
Has Metaphysics Done Its Time?
Supervisors
Classification and Explanation at the Crossroads of the Social and Natural Sciences
Supervisors
1YQ5MEG
Supervisors
On the relativity of motion
Supervisors
Publications
Selected publications
22/04/2026On the Quantum Theory of Molecules
Philosophy of Science
Decoherence and Probability
Philosophy of Science
Time regained
Time regained
Recent publications
22/04/2026On the Quantum Theory of Molecules
Philosophy of Science
Decoherence and Probability
Philosophy of Science
In Search of Cosmic Time
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Theories Without Models
Synthese
Time regained
Time regained
Related people
Professor James Ladyman
Professor
Department of Philosophy
Professor Alvin Birdi
Professor of Economics Education
School of Economics
Professor Samir Okasha
Professor of Philosophy of Science
Department of Philosophy
Professor Stephan Lewandowsky
Chair in Cognitive Psychology
School of Psychology and Neuroscience