Thermodynamics is not subjective, but relational 

(forthcoming) Philosophy of Science , PSA 2026 Contributed Paper Proceedings Volume  

(with Pascal Rodríguez-Warnier)

https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/29782/ 

Foudations of statistical thermodynamics: an operational and relational account

2026, PhD thesis in History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, UK

(forthcoming)

The thesis examines how an operational and relational take on the concepts of statistical thermodynamics dissolves some foundational issues in the applicability of statistical mechanics to thermodynamics, including the justification of thermal equilibrium, the justification of probabilities, and raises some new questions about the relationship between a system's dynamics and thermodynamics that come apart in strongly coupled systems. 

Are mathematical explanations causal explanations in disguise? 

2024, Philosophy of Science

(with Campbell, D., Montelle, C. and Wilson, P.)

https://doi.org/10.1017/psa.2024.8 

We argue that purported mathematical explanations conceal contingent facts in their conditionals, and thus there is no fundamental difference between a mathematical explanation of a physical phenomenon and an ordinary application to mathematics to a physical phenomenon.  

On the continuum fallacy: is temperature a continuous function?  

2023, Foundations of Physics 

(with Campbell, D., Montelle, C., and Wilson, P.)  

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-023-00713-x 

This paper argues against the widely-held misconception that temperature is necessarily represented as a continuously varying function. It also argues that discontinuum models of temperature variation may actually have greater explanatory relevance and empirical adequacy in some cases.   

Does topology provide sufficient structure for non-causal explanations?

2023, PhD thesis (Foundations of Applied Mathematics), University of Canterbury, NZ

https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/items/abeca6d2-8aea-4d0a-a456-a4fce5a823b0

This thesis examines some foundational issues in the applicability of topology to the natural world and their bearing on allegedly non-causal (topological) explanations of dynamical and complex systems. 

Not so distinctively mathematical explanations: topology and dynamical systems 

2022, Synthese  

(with Campbell, D., Montelle, C., and Wilson, P.)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-022-03697-9  

This paper argues that distinctively mathematical explanations are actually causal explanations in disguise because they sneak in reasoning about particular forces in the associated conditional.  

A mathematical model of Dignaga’s hetu-cakra 

2020, Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-020-00217-3 

This paper provides a formulation to deconstruct styles of analogical reasoning in Indian philosophy using the ideas of bounded rationality and the Buddhist method of reasoning through analogies.  

What precisely is thermal equilibrium? (draft available)

In Finding Balance Workshop NTU Singapore Proceedings, edited by Chua, Eugene and Ohnesorge, Miguel. Cambridge University Press.  

Why statistical thermodynamics? (draft available)

In Foundations of Information Theory and Statistical Mechanics Workshop Proceedings, edited by Myrvold, Wayne; Covoni Niccoló and Lorenzetti, Lorenzo. Foundations of Physics.  

On the nature of mathematical knowledge: reflections from Buddhist philosophy (draft available)

In Proceedings of the Maynooth Consonances Conference on Mathematics, Language, and the Moral Sense of Nature, 2023, Scientiae Studies, De Gruyter Brill.  

Foundations of Thermal Physics

(Collaborations marked as *)

1. Thermodynamics at small scales: A case for stochastic thermodynamics at strong coupling (R&R; draft here)

(This is a chapter from my Cambridge PhD thesis)

I argue that extending thermodynamics to small systems exposes background assumptions that are largely invisible in its traditional macroscopic domain. Using mesoscopic stochastic thermodynamics, I examine the underappreciated weak-coupling idealization—negligible system–environment interaction—which normally secures an unambiguous split between heat and work. In a revised version of this paper, I show how strong coupling spells trouble for the yoking of autonomous coarse-grained dynamics of a reduced open system with its thermodynamics: they underdetermine each other. 

2. The anatomy of thermal equilibrium and its relationship with fluctuation-dissipation theorems (draft available)

(This is a chapter from my Cambridge PhD thesis)

I show a) how thermal equilibrium has a precise character that can be justified entirely on thermodynamic principles, b) is distinct from mechanical equilibrium in that thermal equilibrium is a state of detailed balance with a peculiar structure (that comes from the multiplicative-compositional property of the Gibbs state), and c) how this precise structure of detailed balance has been foundational to the discovery and justification of fluctuation-dissipation theorems. 

3. *On the relational character of thermal physics (continued project; PSA paper above was one of the outputs)

(with Rodriguez-Warnier, Pascal)

We distinguish between various aspects of the relational character of thermal concepts like entropy, heat-work distinction, equilibrium and coarse-graining identifying which of their aspects are epistemic, subjective or seemingly anthropocentric, and which ones are rather objective and means-relative.  

4. *Irreversibility and Landauer's Principle (tentative title)

(with Niccolò Covoni)

We examine how interactions between physical systems (based on exchange of information, interpreted physically) impose a certain coarse-graining and whether this provides cues for understanding logical irreversibility vis-a-vis  thermodynamic irreversibility.   

5. Do fluctuation theorems ground the Second Law? (proposal here; for Pittsburgh postdoc)

I examine whether fluctuation theorems — particularly Jarzynski Equality — provide a robust foundation for the Second Law within stochastic thermodynamics. I focus on stochastic systems strongly coupled to their thermal bath, where the system-bath interaction potential is comparable in magnitude to the system’s internal energy. I argue that examining strong coupling reveals conceptual ambiguities that remain disguised in the standard weak-coupling regime, where the interaction potential is negligible and typically neglected. These ambiguities, as I intend to examine, potentially cast doubt on the claim that fluctuation theorems universally ground the Second Law at stochastic levels.

6. *Projection operators and non-equilibrium temperature

(with te vrugt, Michael and Hoyningen-Huene, Paul)

We look into the interpretations of temperature fields in Mori-Zwanzig formalism and examine its implications for obtaining a consistent definition of non-equilibrium temperature when the assumption of local thermal equilibrium is relaxed.   

Philosophy of Mathematics/ Philosophy of Science

1. *What kind of explanations are statistical explanations? 

(with Niall Roe)

We look into the relationship between the various kinds of statistical explanations that involve equilibrium or equilibrium-related explanations and try to understand what is really carrying the explanatory weight in such explanations.  

2. *On Boundary Conditions: From the macroscale to the nanoscale

(with Juia Bursten)

We examine how altering boundary conditions from trivial (square vs circular pipes) to non-trivial cases (macro vs nanoscale flows) in cases of fluid flow can facilitate an understanding of certain structural features of target systems (fluid flow) that hitherto remained inaccessible due to an overly rigid focus on their dynamical formalism (with boundary conditions assumed as background conditions). 

3. *Are there physicalist grounds for some mathematical assertions? 

(with Campbell, D., Montelle, C. and Wilson, P.)

We claim that some mathematical ideas may be deeply grounded in conservational principles, building upon Mark Levi's brilliant book, The Mathematical Mechanic (Princeton University Press, 2012) that provides various ways of understanding the physical basis of various mathematical results.  

History of Indian astronomy 

1. The tale of a medieval Indian scroll: mathematical discoveries (slides available)

(with Montelle, C., Cidami, S. and Dhammaloka, J. : part of a University of Canterbury project on the history and mathematics of medieval astronomical scroll)

We investigate the historical and the mathematical origins of a rare seven-metre-long-medieval-Sanskrit scroll which, we believe, holds important lessons for historians of science.