BOCCUNI FRANCESCA

CURRICULUM VITAE
Francesca Boccuni


Current position: Associate Professor, PHIL-02/A Logic and Philosophy of Science, Faculty of Philosophy, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.

01/05/2017-30/04/2020: Ricercatore/Ricercatrice universitario a t.d. (art. 24 c.3-b L. 240/10), Università Vita Salute San Raffaele

01/09/2013-30/04/2017: Ricercatore/Ricercatrice universitario a t.d. - t.pieno (art. 24 c.3-a L. 240/10), Università Vita Salute San Raffaele

TITOLI:
M.A. in Philosophy at the University of Padova;
PhD in Philosophy of Language at the University of Eastern Piedmont.

ABILITAZIONI:

Bando D.D. 1796/2023, Settore Concorsuale 11/C2, Logica, Storia e Filosofia della Scienza. Candidato: Boccuni Francesca - FASCIA: I. Valido dal 15/07/2025 al 15/07/2037

2014-2023: Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale a Professore Associato di Seconda Fascia (11/C2, Logica e filosofia della scienza);

2014-2023: Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale a Professore Associato di Seconda Fascia (11/C5, Estetica e filosofia del linguaggio).


Areas of specialization: Philosophy of Mathematics, Logic, Philosophical Logic, Philosophy of Logic

Areas of competence: Philosophy of Language, Ontology, Epistemology

Institutional: Head of the PhD programme in Philosophy, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 2025-2026. Vice-coordinamento dottorato in Filosofia, 2020-2025; 2024-ongoing Membro del gruppo di riesame del corso di Dottorato in Filosofia; 2026-ongoing: Membro del gruppo di riesame della ricerca dipartimentale; Membro della Commissione Ricerca di Ateneo, 2022-2025; Membro della Sottocommissione SSH Valutazione progetti PRIN 2022 PNRR, 2024-2025 ; Presidenza commissione internazionalizzazione di Facoltà, 2017-2025; 2013-2019: Commissione Paritetica docenti-studenti



EDUCATION AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2022: Visiting Scholar at the Philosophy Department of Northwestern University (IL) and the Philosophy Department of Kansas State University.

• 2016: Visiting Scholar at the Philosophy Dept., Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
• 2015: Visiting Scholar at the Philosophy Dept., University of California at Davis (UC Davis), USA.
• 2013: Visiting Scholar at the Philosophy Dept., Ohio State University, USA.
• 2012: Post-doctoral Visiting Researcher at the ERC project “Plurals, Predicates, and Paradox”, Philosophy Dept., University of Oslo, Norway. PI: Prof Øystein Linnebo

• 2012: Post-Doctoral Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, London, UK

• 2011: Post-Doctoral Researcher, Philosophy Faculty, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy

• 2008-2009: British Academy post-doctoral visiting fellow at the Philosophy Dept., University of Bristol, UK. Project: Meta-Theory of the Logical System for Arithmetic Predicative Grundgesetze. PI: Dr Øystein Linnebo

• 2004-2005: Visiting scholar at the Philosophy Dept., Ohio State University, USA. PI: Prof Stewart Shapiro

• 2004: Visiting scholar at the Institut Jean Nicod-CNRS, Paris, France

2002: Visiting scholar and associate member of New College, Oxford, UK. PI: Prof Gianluigi Oliveri
• 2002-2006: PhD in Philosophy of Language, University of Eastern Piedmont “Amedeo Avogadro”, Vercelli, Italy.
2002: M.A. in Philosophy, University of Padova.


PUBLICATIONS (selection)
“The Logics of Abstraction” (with A. Sereni), in E. Brendel, M. Carrara, F. Ferrari, O. Hjortland, G. Sagi, G. Sher, F. Steinberger (eds.), Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Logic, OUP, forthcoming
“The Caesar-problem Problem” (with L. Zanetti), Philosophia Mathematica, 33(2):195–211, 2025
“Arithmetic on the Cheap: Neologicism and the Problem of the Logical Ontology”, Thought: A Journal of Philosophy, 2025 (online first); 12(1), 2023: 55-63

Abstractionism (with L. Zanetti), Cambridge Elements in the Philosophy of Mathematics, CUP, 2024

• “Frege meets Belnap: Basic Law V in a Relevant Logic” (with Shay A. Logan), in I. Sedlar, S. Standefer, A. Tedder (eds.), New Directions in Relevant Logics, Trends in Logic series, Springer, 2024
• “Explicit Abstract Objects in Predicative Settings” (with Sean Ebels-Duggan), 2024, Journal of Philosophical Logic
• “Plural Frege Arithmetic“, 2022, Philosophia Scientiae, 26(1): 189-206.
• “Frege’s Theory of Real Numbers: A Consistent Rendering” (with M. Panza), 2022, The Review of Symbolic Logic, 15(3), 624-667. doi:10.1017/S175502032000026X
• “Origins and Varieties of Logicism: An Overview” (with A. Sereni), 2021, in F. Boccuni & A. Sereni (eds.), Origins and Varieties of Logicism. On the logico-philosophical foundations of mathematics, Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Mathematics and Physics
• “Logica plurale“, 2020, APhEx (Analytical and Philosophical Explanation), 22 – in Italian
• “Structuralist Neologicism” (with J. Woods), 2020, Philosophia Mathematica, 28(3): 296-316.
• “Realismo e indeterminatezza nei fondamenti della matematica”, Lost in Physics and metaphysics. Questioni di realismo scientifico, Istituto Lombardo – Accademia di Scienze e Lettere – Incontri di Studio, 2019.
• “Reference in Formal Semantics and Natural Language: A Methodological Route“, 2018, Phenomenology and Mind, 15: 24-35
• (with S. Bacin), “Introduction: Methods of Philosophy“, 2018, Phenomenology and Mind, 15: 10-13
• “Introduction” (with A. Sereni), 2016, in F. Boccuni & A. Sereni (eds.), Philosophy of Mathematics: Objectivity, Realism and Proof (Boston Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science, Springer), 2016
• “The Logicality of Second-Order Logic. An Analysis in Terms of Plural Arbitrary Reference and Acts of Choice” (with M. Carrara and E. Martino), 2016, in M. Carrara, A. Arapinis, F. Moltmann, Unity and Plurality. Philosophy, Logic, and Semantics, OUP.
• “Frege’s Grundgesetze and a Reassessment of Predicativity”, 2015, in G. Lolli, M. Panza, G. Venturi (Eds.), From Logic to Practice: Italian Studies in the Philosophy of Mathematics, Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, Springer, 2014
• “Minimal Logicism“, 2014, Philosophia Scientiae, 18(3): 81-94
• “Plural Logicism“, 2013, Erkenntnis, 78(5): 1051-1067
• “Sheep without SOL. The Case of Second-Order Logic“, 2012, Logic & Philosophy of Science, SILFS 2010 Selected Proceedings, 9(1):75-83
• “On the Consistency of a Plural Theory of Frege’s Grundgesetze”, 2011, Studia Logica, 97(3): 329-345
• “Profili: Gottlob Frege”, 2011, APhEx (Analytical and Philosophical Explanation), 3 – in Italian
• “Plural Grundgesetze“, 2010, Studia Logica, 96(2): 315-330
• (et al.), The Reasoner. Key Terms in Logic, 2010, J. Williamson and F. Russo (Eds.), Continuum Books. Entries: Abstraction; Axiom; Cardinality; Classes; Coherence; Consistency; Contradiction; Domain; Extension; Intension; Interpretation; Logical Form; Logical Function; Metalanguage; Negation; Propositional Variable
• “Matematica”, in M. Ferraris (Ed.) Storia dell’ontologia, Bompiani, 2008: 558-580 (in Italian)
• “Plural Quantification and a Predicative Revision of Frege’s Grundgesetze”, in M. Peliš (Ed.) The Logica Yearbook 2007, Filosofia, Prague, 2008, 11-21
• “Mathematics and Cognition: Some Objections to a Cognitive Foundation for Mathematics”, in J. Sķilters, F. Toccafondi et al. (Eds.) “The Baltic International Yearbook of Cognition, Logic and Communication: Complex Cognition and Qualitative Science. A Legacy of Oswald Külpe”, vol. 2, University of Latvia, Riga, 2007, pp. 115-136
• “Enunciato indecidibile e circolarità viziosa”, in M. Carrara, G. De Anna et al. (Eds.) Linguaggio, mente, mondo, Padova, Poligrafo, 2004, pp. 49-80 (in Italian)

Invited talks - selection

2026
Logics and Abstractions (joint work with A. Sereni), SSHAP Toronto, July (invited)
Logics and Abstractions (joint work with A. Sereni), Upper Logicism workshop, Lisbon, June (invited)
Frege’s Frege Arithmetic, Peking University, Beijing, May (invited)
Frege’s Logicism: A Tale of Many Stories, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, May (invited)
Frege’s Frege Arithmetic, Fudan Logic Seminar, Fudan University, Shanghai, May (invited)
Frege’s Conception of Quantification, Hubei University, Wuhan, May (invited)
Frege’s Frege Arithmetic, Hubei University, Wuhan, May (invited)
Frege’s Logicism: A Tale of Many Stories, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, May (invited)
Frege’s Conception of Quantification, Jiaotong University, Xi’an, May (invited)
Frege’s Logicism: A Tale of Many Stories, Northwest University, Xi’an, May (invited)
Frege’s Frege Arithmetic, Workshop in the Philosophy of Mathematics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, May (invited)
Neologicism, Structuralism, and the Unbearable Lightness of Being a Mathematical Object, SIFA-SISFA Workshop on Platonism in Metaphysics and the Philosophy of Mathematics: Ancient and Contemporary, Rome, May (invited)
Frege’s Proof of Referentiality. Groundworks for a Novel Interpretation of Frege’s Conception of Quantification, Themes from Early Analytic Philosophy, online, March (invited)
Logics and Abstractions (joint work with A. Sereni), Linguaggio, Logica e Ontologia 2, University of Pisa, January (invited)
Frege’s Proof of Referentiality, 4th International Gottlob Frege Conference, Gottlob Frege Zentrum, Wismar, September 2025 (keynote)

This is no Ordinary Arithmetic. Frege Cardinals and Finitude, Commemorating Frege: Logic and Philosophy of Mathematics, University fo Lisbon, September 2025 (invited)

Logicism and Neologicism: A Historical and Philosophical Perspective, Lectures at the MCMP Summer School for Widening Participation in Mathematical Philosophy, July-August 2025 (invited)

Frege Arithmetic and Finitude, SSHAP, University of Jena, July 2025 (invited)

Forever Young: A Hundred Years of (Frege’s) Abstractionism, USI Lugano Philosophy Colloquia, March 2025 (invited)

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neologicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with A. Sereni), University of Vienna, Vienna-IUSS Workshop on Mathematical Definitions, February 2025 (invited)

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neologicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with A. Sereni), Leeds Neo-Fregeanism Workshop, November 2024 (invited)

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neo-logicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with A. Sereni), SSHAP, UConn and Westleyan University, July 2024

Fregean Object Theory (joint work with S. Ebels-Duggan), Workshop on Logicism, MCMP, June 2024 (invited)

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neo-logicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with A. Sereni), Workshop in the Philosophy of Mathematics, USI Lugano, April 2024

Caesar Constrained. Applicability, Neologicism, and Structuralism (joint work with Andrea Sereni), PhilMathMed, May 2023

The Logical Ontology of Abstractionism, LanCog, University of Lisbon, March 2023

The Logics of Abstraction (joint work with Andrea Sereni), Euphilo, March 2023

Relevant Abstractionism (joint work with Shay Logan), Perspectives on Logic and Philosophy, Ruhr University Bochum, 9-11 January 2023

Principio del Contesto, Riferimento, e Applicabilità, Rari nantes in gurgite vasto. Giornata di studi in onore di Eva Picardi, IUSS, Pavia, December 2022
The Caesar Problem Problem (joint work with Luca Zanetti), Kansas State University, May 2022
Explicit Abstract Objects, OC-IE HPML Group, Chapman University, May 2022
Relevant Neologicism (with Shay Logan, Kansas State University), CRESA WIP seminars, UniSR, June 2021

How to Hamlet a Caesar (with Luca Zanetti, IUSS, Pavia), IUSS Philosophy Seminars eMath Project, IUSS, Pavia, May 2021

How to Hamlet a Caesar. Il Principio di Hume è analitico? (with Luca Zanetti, IUSS, Pavia), Synergia seminars, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, March (invited), 2021

How to Hamlet a Caesar (with Luca Zanetti, IUSS, Pavia), Science and More Talks, University of Turin, February (invited), 2021

High Hopes for Frege’s Logicism?, University of Birmingham, February (invited), 2020

Sortali, identità e astrazione, Inferenze: logica, scienze, linguaggio. Giornata di studi in onore di Pierdaniele Giaretta, University of Padua, November (invited), 2018

Abstraction for real(s)! Frege’s theory of real numbers (with Marco Panza), Varieties of Mathematical Abstraction, University of Wien, July (invited), 2018

• Lightweight Neologicisim (do a lot with less), Meaning and Knowledge: Celebrating Gabriele Usberti and his work, University of Siena, July (invited), 2018
• Realismo e indeterminatezza in filosofia della matematica, Lost in physics and metaphysics. Questioni di realismo scientifico, Istituto Lombardo, Accademia di Scienze e Lettere, January (invited), 2018
• Arithmetic on the Cheap, ECAP9 (contributed workshop ‘Mathematical Platonism: Frege and Neo-Fregeanism’), LMU, Munich, August (invited), 2017

• Reference in Formal Semantics and Natural Language: A Methodological Route, “The methods of philosophy”, Cesano Maderno, 2017
• Metaphysically Lightweight Arithmetic: You can’t always get what you want, but you get what you need, workshop Plural Foundations, University of Leeds, UK, 2016
• What should we render unto Caesar?, (con Jack Woods – Bilkent University), University of Bologna, 2016
• What should we render unto Caesar?, (con Jack Woods – Bilkent University), first IUSS-IHPST workshop in the Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic, IUSS Pavia, 2016
• The Julius Caesar Problem and Invariance, Philosophy Department, Bilkent University, Turkey, 2016
• Metaphysically Lightweight Abstraction, Realism and Objectivity, Matera, 2015
• Reference and Invariance in Abstraction Principles, Logic Colloquium, University of Connecticut, USA, 2015
• On the existence and identity of Fregean abstracta, Center for the Advancement of Logic, its Philosophy, History and Applications, University of California Irvine, USA, 2015
• Reference and Invariance in Abstraction Principles (I and II), Philosophy Department, UC Davis, 2015
• On the Logicality of Frege’s Definition of Domains of Magnitudes (with Marco Panza), Frege and Neo-Fregeanism, IHPST, Paris, 2014
• A Theory of Fregean Concepts and Objects, workshop on Abstractionism and Neologicism, UConn Logic group, University of Connecticut, 2014
• A Plural Approach to Frege’s Logicism, Logic, Language, and Science Colloquium Series, Ohio State University, 2013
• A Theory of Fregean Abstract Objects, Workshop on Intensionality in Mathematics, Lunds Universitet, 2013
• Grounding (Ideal) Reference, October, Groundedness: Semantics and Beyond, MCMP, Munich, 2012
• Frege's Grundgesetze and a Reassessment of Impredicativity, Department Seminar, Università di Bristol, GB, 2012

• Frege's Grundgesetze and a Reassessment of Impredicativity, May, Lunchtime Seminars Series, Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, Londra, GB, 2012

• Logicism without Numbers, (with M. Carrara and E. Martino), Cogito Day VI, Bologna, Italia, 2011

• Grundgesetze Plurali, Dipartimento di filosofia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italia, 2009

• Grundgesetze Plurali, Seminario di Filosofia Analitica, Dipartimento di filosofia, Università di Padova, Italia, 2009


• A Plural Extension of the Predicative Second-Order Fragment of Frege’s Grundgesetze (Part II), Research Seminar in the Philosophy of Mathematics Seminar, University of Bristol, GB, 2008

• A Plural Extension of the Predicative Second-Order Fragment of Frege’s Grundgesetze (Part I), Research Seminar in the Philosophy of Mathematics Seminar, Università di Bristol, GB, 2008



Contributed talks - blind review - selection

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neologicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with A. Sereni), World Congress of Philosophy, Rome 2024

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neologicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with Andrea Sereni), Who is Afraid of Philosophy? New Challenges for Contemporary Society 15th Conference of the Italian Society for Analytic Philosophy SIFA, September 2023

The Conqueror’s Arrogance: Neologicism, Caesar Problem and Frege’s Constraint (joint work with Andrea Sereni), Logic, Philosophy of Science, and Global Challenges SILFS Triennal Conference, September 2023

How to Hamlet a Caesar (with Luca Zanetti, PoliMI), XIV Convegno Nazionale della Società Italiana di Filosofia Analitica: Shaping the future: What’s the Role of Philosophy?, 2021
• What should we render unto Caesar?, (con Jack Woods – Leeds University), FPMW8, Marseille, 2016
• Structuralist (Neo-?)Logicism, (con Jack Woods – Leeds University), Foundations of Mathematical Structuralism, MCMP, Munich, 2016
• Reference and Invariance in Abstraction Principles, CLMPS, Helsinki, 2015
• Reference, Individuation, and Abstraction, ECAP 2014, Bucharest, 2014
• A Theory of Fregean Concepts and Objects, PPP workshop on Abstraction: Philosophy and Mathematics, University of Oslo, 2014
• Plural Logicism, 14th CLMPS, Nancy, Francia, 2011

• Plural Logicism, Paris-Nancy PhilMath Workshop, Francia, 2010

• Reference and Sameness of Reference: A Case for Ante-Rem Structuralism, 9th national conference of the Italian Society for Analytic Philosophy “Truth, Knowledge, and Science”, Università di Padova, Italia, 2010

• Sheep Without SOL: The Case of Second-Order Logic, “Word and Object, 50 years later. Colloquium in Celebration of W.V.O. Quine”, Università “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italia, 2010

• Plural Grundgesetze, “Logic, Language, Mathematics, A Philosophy Conference in Memory of Imre Ruzsa”, Eötvös University, Budapest, Ungheria, 2010

• Plural Grundgesetze, “Trends in Logic VII: Trends in the Philosophy of Mathematics”, Goethe-University, Francoforte, Germania, 2009

• Plural Logicism, Sixth European Congress of Analytic Philosophy, Cracovia, Polonia, 2009

• The Floating Extension Problem: The Case of the Explicit Definition of Natural Numbers in Frege’s Grundladen Der Arithmetik, The Joint Session of the Aristotelian Society and the Mind Association, Università di Bristol, GB, 2009

• Plural Quantification and a Predicative Revision of Frege’s Grundgesetze, Logica Symposium, Hejnice, Repubblica Ceca, 2007

• Mathematics and Cognition: Some Objections to a Cognitive Foundation for Mathematics, Second International Workshop of Cognitive Systems as Representational Systems, Torùn, Polonia, 2004



TEACHING - ongoing

Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (UniSR): Formal Logic (B.A., Philosophy); Philosophical Logic (M.A., Philosophy). 2014-2023: Logica della scoperta e dell'innovazione scientifica (Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Biotecnologie Mediche Molecolari e Cellulari)

Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI): Logica 2 (B.A., Philosophy), a.a. 2024-2025; a.a. 2025-2026; a.a. 2026-27.

Ludwig Maximilian University Munich - LMU (Germania) - MCMP Summer School for Widening Participation in Mathematical Philosophy - Attivita' di insegnamento (art. 23 L. 240/10), 28/07/2025-01/08/2025


MISCELLANEOUS

Research Projects:

PUMa: Proof and Understanding in Mathematics. Purity of methods, simplicity, and explanation in mathematical reasoning, PRIN 2022, local PI (ASSEGNISTI: 01/04/2024-01/03/2026, PRIN PuMA, ENGLER, JANN PAUL)
1/01/2026-31/12/2029: team member of the National Portuguese Research Project “Upper Logicism”. PI: Prof Bruno Jacinto
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship, British Academy, University of Bristol, 2008

Steering committes - selection:

2026: member of the scientific committee of the 2026 FilMat conference, Philosophy of Mathematics: Applicability, Ontology, and Reasoning, University of Bologna
2025: organizer (with Jann Paul Engler) of the workshop Generality and Impredicativity, February, UniSR
2024: member of the scientific committee of the 2024 FilMat graduate conference, Philosophy of Mathematics: Models, Methods, and Applications, Rome Tor Vergata
2022: member of the scientific committee of the 2022 FilMat conference, Philosophy of Mathematics: Foundations, Definitions, and Axioms, IUSS, Pavia
• 2019: member of the scientific and organizing committees of the Second Graduate Conference of the Italian Network for the Philosophy of Mathematics – FilMat: Philosophy of mathematics: logic, language, and methodology
• 2018: scientific and organizing committee of SIFA 2018, Novara
• 2017: scientific and organizing committee of SIFA midterm 2017, Genova
• 2018: scientific committee of FilMat 2018, Mussomeli (CT)
• 2016: scientific committee of FilMat 2016, Chieti
• 2015: co-organizer of the workshop The Laws of Thought. Frege on logic, thinking and conceptual analysis, IUSS, Pavia
• 2015: co-organizer of the workshop Origins and Varieties of Logicism, IUSS, Pavia
• 2014: scientific and organizing committee of FilMat 2014, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano
• 2014: organizing committee of the workshop Frege’s real numbers, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore-Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano
• 2012: organizing committee of the international conference and winter school “Sense and Sensibility”, Università San Raffaele, Milano, Gennaio 2013
• 2011: local organizing committee of ECAP 7, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele - Università di Milano, Milano, Settembre 2011
• 2011: organizing committee of the international conference and Spring School “Making the Social World”, Università San Raffaele, Milano, Giugno 2011


Editorial boards:
- 2025-present: member of the editorial board of Argumenta (section editor: philosophy of mathematics)
- 2023-present: member of the editorial board of the Bulletin of Symbolic Logic (Reviews Section)
- 2022-present: member of the editorial board of Logique et Analyse
- 2011-present: member of the editorial board of Phenomenology and Mind
- 2016-2018: member of the board of the Italian Society for Analytic Philosophy (SIFA); assistant editor of Argumenta


Occasional reviewer for:

The Philosophical Quarterly
Dialectica
Erkenntnis
Philosophia Mathematica
The Review of Symbolic Logic
Synthese
Rivista di Estetica
Logique et Analyse
Aphex
Philosophia Scientiae
Theoria
Topoi

Memberships in philosophical societies and research centres:

• steering committee SIFA 2016-2018
promoting committee of the Italian network for the philosophy of mathematics FilMat - 2012-present
• CRESA
• SILFS
• SIFA