[2][11] She then obtained her PhD at the University of Pittsburgh,[2][11] writing her dissertation, entitled "On the Verge of Collapse: Modal Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics", under the supervision of John Earman.
[12][3][13][4][14] First, she offers an introduction to the conceptual foundations of the algebraic approaches i.e. generalisations of Hilbert spaces of ordinary quantum mechanics, that apply to systems with an infinite number of degrees of freedom (collectively referred to as QM-∞ by Ruetsche).
Ruetsche also examines ontological commitments of the QM-∞ given the set algebraic formulation in order to determine whether they include elementary particles in a substantive sense of that phrase.
She then proceeds to defend IP by exploiting the fact that macroscopically distinct equilibrium phases can co-exist given certain values of parameters of a quantum theory such as temperature.
She also draws on theories of Aristotle, Wilfrid Sellars and John McDowell in order to broaden the extant conception of rationality in service of traditional epistemologies.