site.btaInternational Scientific Conference Dedicated to 140th Anniversary of Niels Bohr Opens at Sofia University

An international conference dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the birth of Niels Bohr was opened at Sofia University on Thursday, the university's press centre said. 

The scientific forum was opened by Dr. Boris Grozdanov from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences by stating that Niels Bohr is not only one of the most famous physicists, but also one of the fathers of quantum mechanics. 

Dr. Vladimir Bozhilov from the Faculty of Physics at Sofia University noted that the event unites philosophers and physicists in search of an understanding of the deep essence of quantum mechanics. He emphasized that like all fundamental sciences, physics has its roots in philosophy and that reconnecting the two scientific fields is crucial today. Bozhilov recalled that STEM education is an attempt to direct more people towards careers in the natural sciences, pointing out that the Faculty of Physics has the largest number of admitted freshmen in more than two decades. 

The thematic field of the conference is divided into two main areas, one being the philosophy of Niels Bohr and its acceptance in the modern philosophy of science and the other being the main intersections between the problem areas of philosophy and physics. There are also debates on the different interpretations and philosophical approaches to understanding quantum theory.

The conference is organized by the Philosophy of Science Section at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with the support of the Faculty of Physics at Sofia University. The two-day scientific event, which is in a hybrid format, brings together scientists interested in Bohr's philosophy, his fundamental works and the conceptual interpretations of quantum theory.