Foundational Questions Institute

The Foundational Questions Institute, styled FQXi, is an organization that provides grants to "catalyze, support, and disseminate research on questions at the foundations of physics and cosmology."[1] It was founded in 2005 by cosmologists Max Tegmark and Anthony Aguirre,[2] who hold the positions of Scientific Directors. It has run four worldwide grant competitions (in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2013), the first of which provided US$2M to 30 projects.[3] It also runs yearly essay contests open to the general public with $40,000 in prizes awarded by a jury panel and the best texts published in book format.[4]

FQXi is an independent, philanthropically funded non-profit organization, run by scientists for scientists, with a Scientific Advisory Board including John Barrow, Nick Bostrom, Gregory Chaitin, David Chalmers, Alan Guth, Martin Rees, Eva Silverstein, Lee Smolin, Frank Wilczek, and Dieter Zeh.[5]

The $6.2 million seed funding was donated by the John Templeton Foundation, whose goal is to reconcile science and religion. Tegmark has stated that the money came with "no strings attached"; The Boston Globe stated FQXi is run by "two well-respected researchers who say they are not religious. The institute's scientific advisory board is also filled with top scientists."[6] Critics of the John Templeton Foundation such as Sean Carroll have also stated they were satisfied that the FQXi is independent.[7][8]

Notable members

According to FQXi, its membership includes the following people:[9]

gollark: No ir doesn't.
gollark: This is definitely still a meme.
gollark: You can't say it's not a meme because memes are loosely defined! MWAHAHAHA!
gollark: It's actually a death hack.
gollark: https://www.theonion.com/damning-report-finds-white-house-ignored-skeletal-horse-1842754580

References
  1. About the Foundational Questions Institute
  2. Schwarzchild, Bertram (December 2005). "News notes: Foundational Questions Institute". Physics Today. 58 (12): 31. Bibcode:2005PhT....58T..31F. doi:10.1063/1.2169440.
  3. Merali, Zeeya (2007-11-15). "Is mathematical pattern the theory of everything?". New Scientist. Reed Business Information.
  4. "Essay Contest page". fqxi.org. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  5. Who is FQXi?
  6. "Initiative will join physics, theology". Boston Globe. 31 July 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  7. Epstein, David (1 August 2006). "Separation of Church and Science". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  8. "Foundational Questioners Announced". Sean Carroll (blog). 31 July 2006. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  9. "FQXi Membership". Retrieved 27 January 2020.


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