Andrew Y. Lee, assistant professor at the University of Toronto, is the winner of the 2024 Sanders Prize in Metaphysics.

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Professor Lee was awarded the prize for  “A Puzzle About Sums“. Here’s the abstract of the paper:

A famous mathematical theorem says that the sum of an infinite series of numbers can depend on the order in which those numbers occur. Suppose we interpret the numbers in such a series as representing instances of some physical quantity, such as the weights of a collection of items. The mathematics seems to lead to the result that the weight of a collection of items can depend on the order in which those items are weighed. But that is very hard to believe! A puzzle then arises: How do we interpret the metaphysical significance of this mathematical theorem? I first argue that prior solutions to the puzzle lead to implausible consequences. Then I develop my own solution, where the basic idea is that the weight of a collection of items is equal to the limit of the weights of its finite subcollections contained within ever-expanding regions of space. I show how my solution is intuitively plausible and philosophically motivated, how it reveals an underexplored line of metaphysical inquiry about quantities and locations, and how it elucidates some classic puzzles concerning supertasks. 

The prize, which is administered by Dean Zimmerman (Rutgers) includes publication of the paper in Oxford Studies in Metaphysics as well as $5000.

You can learn more about the prize and see the previous winners here.