George Webster
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George Webster
@georgewebster.bsky.social
530 followers 520 following 150 posts
Lecturer in Philosophy at Worcester College, University of Oxford.

Thinking about science, the world, and the history of our ideas about those things.

Also in charge of Learning Development.

www.georgewebsterphilosophy.com
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georgewebster.bsky.social
It’s that time of year again - UCAS forms have landed on my desk!
Brown envelope - containing applicant UCAS forms - addressed to George Webster.
November 13, 2025 at 3:01 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Where the members of Pembroke College settle their disputes:
Street sign in Oxford that reads “Beef Lane”.
October 30, 2025 at 3:22 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Checked out some Weyl today. (Didn’t read it; checked it out of the library.)
Philosophy of Mathematics and Natural Science BY HERMANN WEYL REVISED AND AUGMENTED ENGLISH EDITION BASED ON A TRANSLATION BY OLAF HELMER Sub-faculty of Philosophy, 12, Merton Street, Oxford. PRINCETON PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS 1949
October 29, 2025 at 5:38 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
My first meeting in the new Schwarzman Centre (i.e., humanities building) at @ox.ac.uk today.

#academicsky #philsky
Big flower pattern in a ceiling made of wooden slats.
October 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Is “when closed” really necessary here, Thermos?
A cardboard sleeve for a thermos flask, stating “leak proof when closed”.
October 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Very happy to be starting a new role - Stipendiary Lecturer in Philosophy - at Worcester College @ox.ac.uk!

What an idyllic workplace!

#academicsky #philsky #philsci
The main quad in Worcester College, Oxford. (I.e., posh buildings surrounding a square of grass.)
October 3, 2025 at 10:15 AM
georgewebster.bsky.social
A watershed moment: my first citation!! 🎉🎉🎉

#philsky #philsci
A Google Scholar landing page, with notification of a paper’s first citation.
July 25, 2025 at 1:09 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Just arrived in Munich for a workshop at @lmuphilosophy.bsky.social on “It from Bit” and the metaphysics of John Archibald Wheeler.

Very much looking forward to the talks and discussion!

@alyssaney.bsky.social

#philsky #philsci
Poster for a 2-day workshop: IT FROM BIT A Workshop on the Metaphysics of John Archibald Wheeler All talks held in Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, M210 Friday, 11 July 2025 900: Christopher Fuchs (U Mass Boston), "QBism and the Path to Wheelerizing Physics" 1100: Daniele Oriti (Complutense), "It-from-Bit and Gravity" 1400: George Webster (Oxford), ""It from Bit" as a Critical Idealist Proposal" 1500: Stefano Furlan (Utrecht), "Beyond the End of Time: Wheeler's Prolegomenon to "It from Bit"" 1615: Alyssa Ney (LMU), "Why Did Wheeler Reject the Everett Interpretation?" Saturday, 12 July 2025 900: Matthew Leifer (Chapman), "It from Bit from It" 1100: Graham Doke (Oxford), "From Bit to It to an Ontology for QBism" 1400: Victor Tremblay-Baillargeon (Montréal), "The Renderer's Dilemma: An Incompleteness Argument against It-from-Bit Ontology" 1500: John Dougherty (LMU), "It-from-Bit in QFT" 1615: Chris Timpson (Oxford), "It-from-Bit, Idealism, Fragmentalism, and Loneliness"
July 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Had an amazing time at the #SEP2025 conference - many thanks to the organisers for a seamless and engaging event, and to @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social for hosting!

@sephilo.bsky.social #philsky
A philosopher in a green shirt gesticulating while giving a presentation in a lecture hall.
July 10, 2025 at 7:34 AM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Presented on Cassirer and John Wheeler at the Oxford Philosophy of Physics Seminar last week.*

Had a great time and I'm grateful for some very helpful discussion.

Looking forward to the same in Glasgow and Munich this July!!

#philsky #philsci

*Recording available soon 🎥
Title slide, which reads '"It from Bit" as a critical idealist proposal' - George Webster (Keble College, University of Oxford). It features a famous U-shaped diagram, from John Wheeler, of an eye observing (and supposedly creating!) the start of the universe.
June 9, 2025 at 8:42 AM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Lovely view from @jesusoxford.bsky.social 🏙️
Oxford skyline on a sunny day.
May 14, 2025 at 3:56 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Had fun doing philosophy in Denmark last week 🇩🇰

The Nordic Society for Phenomenology puts on a brilliant conference!!

And it was great to see so many talks on phenomenology and the sciences - especially physics!!

#philsky #philsci #phenomenology
Image of me presenting in front of a slide which reads "Hegel, Phenomenology, QBism: Mutual Recognition in the Philosophy of Physics".
May 6, 2025 at 11:25 AM
georgewebster.bsky.social
...expected? ...unexpected?
Results of a poll asking students whether they agree or disagree with the following claim: "Some actions are right or wrong irrespective of the time, place, or culture in which they are done". Of 40 participants, 75% agreed, 20% disagreed, and 5% weren't sure.
April 26, 2025 at 1:51 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Had a great time today filming a philosophy tutorial for a video project all about Oxford's tutorial system! 🎥 ✨

Huge well done to my brave 1st-yr undergrads who took part - you did brilliantly! 👏 📚

Excited for this sneak peak into how teaching works @ox.ac.uk 👀
Me in my office, also a camera viewfinder looking at me in my office.
March 4, 2025 at 5:07 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Richard Healey spoke at one of our Faculty seminars the other day. I dig his pragmatist approach to quantum mechanics - looking forward to getting more into it!
A copy of Richard Healey's "The Quantum Revolution in Philosophy". Black cover with colourful swirly spiral.
December 10, 2024 at 4:06 PM
georgewebster.bsky.social
Post-conference email catch-up and job applications in Linköping before the flight home 🇸🇪✈️🇬🇧
Laptop, tea and croissant on a table in a coffee shop.
December 1, 2024 at 11:01 AM