James Read
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 3602122 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | James Read |
| NOMBRES | James |
| APELLIDO | Read |
| FIRMA | READ J |
| AFILIACIONES | University of Oxford |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2226-0340 |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 33 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 76 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 33 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 1986 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 5 |
Scientific Theory and Possibility
It is plausible that the models of scientific theories correspond to possibilities. But how do we know which models of which scientific theories so correspond? This paper provides a novel proposal for guiding belief about possibilities via scientific theories. The proposal draws on the notion of an effective theory: a theory that applies very well to a particular, restricted domain. We argue that it is the models of effective theories that we sho…
Clarifying the foundations of Teleparallel Gravity
Teleparallel Gravity (TPG) is an alternative, but empirically equivalent, spacetime theory to General Relativity. In its modern formulation, TPG purports to be both a gauge theory of translations (G), as well as locally Lorentz-invariant (L). However, the reasoning invoked in order to implement (L) and (G) is often involved. As such, clarification of the reasoning upon which TPG proponents rely in constructing their theory is sorely needed. The p…
The Momentum of the Medium
The Hole Argument and Putnam’s Paradox
We discuss affinities and differences between (i) the hole argument in general relativity and (ii) Putnam’s model-theoretic argument against metaphysical realism (‘Putnam’s paradox’). Following Pooley (The Reality of Spacetime, University of Oxford, 2002), we maintain that the hole argument is not a special case of Putnam’s paradox. This notwithstanding, both of these arguments have been responded to through meta-linguistic means. While van Fraas…
Clarifying coincident general relativity
The nodes of the ‘geometric trinity’ are: (i) general relativity (in which grav itational effects are a manifestation of spacetime curvature), (ii) the ‘teleparallel equivalent’ of general relativity (which trades spacetime curvature for torsion), and(iii) the ‘symmetric teleparallel equivalent’ of general relativity (which trades spacetime curvature for non-metricity). Onepopularreformulationof(iii)is‘co incident general relativity’, but this th…
Good Vibes only
How to articulate the common ontological commitments of symmetry-related models of physical theories? This is a central (perhaps the central) question in the philosophical literature on symmetry transformations in physics; recently, Dewar (British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 70, 2019) has proposed a strategy for answering this question which goes by the name of ‘external sophistication’. And yet: this strategy has been accused of being…
On the Mathematics and Metaphysics of the Hole Argument
We make some remarks on the mathematics and metaphysics of the hole argument, in response to a recent article in this journal by Weatherall ([2018]). Broadly speaking, we defend the mainstream philosophical literature from the claim that correct usage of the mathematics of general relativity 'blocks' the argument
An invitation to conventionalism
Geometric underdetermination (i.e., the underdetermination of the geometric properties of space and time) is a live possibility in light of some of our best theories of physics. In response to this, geometric conventionalism offers a selective anti-realism, refusing to assign truth values to variant geometric propositions. Although often regarded as being dead in the water by modern philosophers, in this article we propose to revitalise the progr…
Is spacetime curved? Assessing the underdetermination of general relativity and teleparallel gravity
Realism about general relativity (GR) seems to imply realism about spacetime curvature. The existence of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR) calls this into question, for (a) TEGR is set in a torsionful but flat spacetime, and (b) TEGR is empirically equivalent to GR. Knox (Stud Hist Philos Sci Part B Stud Hist Philos Mod Phys 42(4):264–275, 2011) claims that there is no genuine underdetermination between GR and TEGR; we call…
Gravitational redshift revisited
Gravitational redshift effects undoubtedly exist; moreover, the experimental setups which confirm the existence of these effects-the most famous of which being the Pound-Rebka experiment-are extremely well-known. Nonetheless-and perhaps surprisingly-there remains a great deal of confusion in the literature regarding what these experiments really establish. Our goal in the present article is to clarify these issues, in three concrete ways. First, …
The local validity of special relativity from a scale-relative perspective
Most contemporary physicists hold that the local validity of special relativity (SR) within general relativity (GR) is expressed by means of an interdependent cluster of mathematical concepts, one of which is the existence of normal coordinate systems. Nonetheless, there remains conceptual work to be done with regard to this `standard story' on the local validity of SR in (a) clarifying how a network of mathematical concepts is recruited in a par…
Newtonian Equivalence Principles
The equivalence principle has constituted one of the cornerstones of discussions in the foundations of spacetime theories over the past century. However, up to this point the principle has been considered overwhelmingly only within the context of relativistic physics. In this article, we demonstrate that the principle has much broader, super-theoretic significance: to do so, we present a unified framework for understanding the principle in its va…
How to Teach General Relativity
Supposing that one is already familiar with special relativistic physics, what constitutes the best route via which to arrive at the architecture of the general theory of relativity? Although the later Einstein would stress the significance of mathematical and theoretical principles in answering this question, in this article we follow the lead of the earlier Einstein (circa 1916) and stress instead how one can go a long way to arriving at the ge…
Causation and the conservation of energy in general relativity
Consensus in the contemporary philosophical literature has it that conserved quantity\ntheories of causation such as that of Dowe [2000]—according to which causation is to be\nanalysed in terms of the exchange of conserved quantities (e.g., energy)—face damning\nproblems when confronted with contemporary physics, where the notion of conservation\nbecomes delicate. In particular, in general relativity it is often claimed that there simply\nare no …
Euclidean spacetime functionalism
We explore the significance of physical theories set in Euclidean spacetimes (i.e., theories with Riemannian rather than pseudo-Riemannian metrical structure). In particular, we explore (a) the use of these theories in contemporary physics at large, and (b) the sense in which there can be a notion of temporal evolution in these theories. Having achieved these tasks, we proceed to reflect on the lessons that one can take from such theories for Kno…
Teaching and learning guide for
The epistemology of spacetime
How is it that the basic structures of space and time come to manifest themselves in physical theories and theorising, and in our empirical experience of the world? This question is central to an important field of the philosophy of physics: the epistemology of spacetime. In this article, we survey systematically the various responses which have been offered to this question, highlighting little-explored connections and open research questions
The limitations of inertial frame spacetime functionalism
For Knox, ‘spacetime’ is to be defined functionally, as that which picks out a structure of local inertial frames. Assuming that Knox is motivated to construct this functional definition of spacetime on the grounds that it appears to identify that structure which plays the operational role of spacetime—i.e., that structure which is actually surveyed by physical rods and clocks built from matter fields—we identify in this paper important limitatio…
The landscape and the multiverse
As a candidate theory of quantum gravity, the popularity of string theory has waxed and waned over the past four decades. One current source of scepticism is that the theory can be used to derive, depending upon the input geometrical assumptions that one makes, a vast range of different quantum field theories, giving rise to the so-called landscape problem. One apparent way to address the landscape problem is to posit the existence of a multivers…
Getting tense about relativity
Special relativity has been understood by many as vindicating a tenseless conception of time, denying the existence of tensed facts and a fortiori objective temporal passage. The reason for this is straightforward: both passage and the obtaining of tensed facts require a universal knife-edge present moment—yet this structure is not easily reconcilable with the relativity of simultaneity. The above being said, the prospects for tense and passage a…
Sophistry about symmetries
A common adage runs that, given a theory manifesting symmetries, the syntax of that theory should be modified in order to construct a new theory, from which symmetry-variant structure of the original theory has been excised. Call this strategy for explicating the underlying ontology of symmetry-related models reduction . Recently, Dewar has proposed an alternative to reduction as a means of articulating the ontology of symmetry-related models—wha…
Redundant epistemic symmetries
States in American Constitutionalism
Motivating dualities
Clocks and Chronogeometry
Recent work in the physics literature demonstrates that, in particular classes of rotating spacetimes, physical light rays in general do not traverse null geodesics. Having presented this result, we discuss its philosophical significance, both for the clock hypothesis (and, in particular, a recent purported proof thereof for light clocks), and for the operational meaning of the metric field. 1. Introduction 2. Fletcher's Theorem 2.1. Maudlin on t…
Motivating dualities
Sophistry about symmetries
A common adage runs that, given a theory manifesting symmetries, the syntax of that theory should be modified in order to construct a new theory, from which symmetry-variant structure of the original theory has been excised. Call this strategy for explicating the underlying ontology of symmetry-related models reduction . Recently, Dewar has proposed an alternative to reduction as a means of articulating the ontology of symmetry-related models—wha…
Duality and ontology
A "duality" is a formal mapping between the spaces of solutions of two empirically equivalent theories. In recent times, dualities have been found to be pervasive in string theory and quantum field theory. Naïvely interpreted, duality-related theories appear to make very different ontological claims about the world-differing in, for example, spacetime structure, fundamental ontology, and mereological structure. In light of this, duality-related t…
Functional Gravitational Energy
Does the gravitational field described in general relativity possess genuine stress-energy? We answer this question in the affirmative, in (i) a weak sense applicable in a certain class of models of the theory, and (ii) arguably also in a strong sense, applicable in all models of the theory. In addition, we argue that one can be a realist about gravitational stress-energy in general relativity even if one is a relationist about spacetime ontology…
The limitations of inertial frame spacetime functionalism
For Knox, ‘spacetime’ is to be defined functionally, as that which picks out a structure of local inertial frames. Assuming that Knox is motivated to construct this functional definition of spacetime on the grounds that it appears to identify that structure which plays the operational role of spacetime—i.e., that structure which is actually surveyed by physical rods and clocks built from matter fields—we identify in this paper important limitatio…
On the Mathematics and Metaphysics of the Hole Argument
We make some remarks on the mathematics and metaphysics of the hole argument, in response to a recent article in this journal by Weatherall ([2018]). Broadly speaking, we defend the mainstream philosophical literature from the claim that correct usage of the mathematics of general relativity 'blocks' the argument
The landscape and the multiverse
As a candidate theory of quantum gravity, the popularity of string theory has waxed and waned over the past four decades. One current source of scepticism is that the theory can be used to derive, depending upon the input geometrical assumptions that one makes, a vast range of different quantum field theories, giving rise to the so-called landscape problem. One apparent way to address the landscape problem is to posit the existence of a multivers…
The epistemology of spacetime
How is it that the basic structures of space and time come to manifest themselves in physical theories and theorising, and in our empirical experience of the world? This question is central to an important field of the philosophy of physics: the epistemology of spacetime. In this article, we survey systematically the various responses which have been offered to this question, highlighting little-explored connections and open research questions
Clocks and Chronogeometry
Recent work in the physics literature demonstrates that, in particular classes of rotating spacetimes, physical light rays in general do not traverse null geodesics. Having presented this result, we discuss its philosophical significance, both for the clock hypothesis (and, in particular, a recent purported proof thereof for light clocks), and for the operational meaning of the metric field. 1. Introduction 2. Fletcher's Theorem 2.1. Maudlin on t…
An invitation to conventionalism
Geometric underdetermination (i.e., the underdetermination of the geometric properties of space and time) is a live possibility in light of some of our best theories of physics. In response to this, geometric conventionalism offers a selective anti-realism, refusing to assign truth values to variant geometric propositions. Although often regarded as being dead in the water by modern philosophers, in this article we propose to revitalise the progr…
Getting tense about relativity
Special relativity has been understood by many as vindicating a tenseless conception of time, denying the existence of tensed facts and a fortiori objective temporal passage. The reason for this is straightforward: both passage and the obtaining of tensed facts require a universal knife-edge present moment—yet this structure is not easily reconcilable with the relativity of simultaneity. The above being said, the prospects for tense and passage a…
The Movement for Housing Reform in Germany and France, 1840-1914
The Movement for Housing Reform in Germany and France, 1840-1914
Two miracles of general relativity
In defence of Everettian decision theory
Duality and ontology
A "duality" is a formal mapping between the spaces of solutions of two empirically equivalent theories. In recent times, dualities have been found to be pervasive in string theory and quantum field theory. Naïvely interpreted, duality-related theories appear to make very different ontological claims about the world-differing in, for example, spacetime structure, fundamental ontology, and mereological structure. In light of this, duality-related t…
Teaching and learning guide for
A ‘‘duality’’ is a formal mapping between the spaces of solutions of two empirically equivalent theories. In recent times, dualities have been found to be pervasive in string theory and quantum field theory. Naïvely interpreted, duality-related theories appear to make very different ontological claims about the world—differing in, for example, spacetime structure, fundamental ontology, and mereological structure. In light of this, duality-related…
On miracles and spacetime
Redundant epistemic symmetries
States in American Constitutionalism
Motivating dualities
Clocks and Chronogeometry
Recent work in the physics literature demonstrates that, in particular classes of rotating spacetimes, physical light rays in general do not traverse null geodesics. Having presented this result, we discuss its philosophical significance, both for the clock hypothesis (and, in particular, a recent purported proof thereof for light clocks), and for the operational meaning of the metric field. 1. Introduction 2. Fletcher's Theorem 2.1. Maudlin on t…
Functional Gravitational Energy
Does the gravitational field described in general relativity possess genuine stress-energy? We answer this question in the affirmative, in (i) a weak sense applicable in a certain class of models of the theory, and (ii) arguably also in a strong sense, applicable in all models of the theory. In addition, we argue that one can be a realist about gravitational stress-energy in general relativity even if one is a relationist about spacetime ontology…
The limitations of inertial frame spacetime functionalism
For Knox, ‘spacetime’ is to be defined functionally, as that which picks out a structure of local inertial frames. Assuming that Knox is motivated to construct this functional definition of spacetime on the grounds that it appears to identify that structure which plays the operational role of spacetime—i.e., that structure which is actually surveyed by physical rods and clocks built from matter fields—we identify in this paper important limitatio…
The landscape and the multiverse
As a candidate theory of quantum gravity, the popularity of string theory has waxed and waned over the past four decades. One current source of scepticism is that the theory can be used to derive, depending upon the input geometrical assumptions that one makes, a vast range of different quantum field theories, giving rise to the so-called landscape problem. One apparent way to address the landscape problem is to posit the existence of a multivers…
Getting tense about relativity
Special relativity has been understood by many as vindicating a tenseless conception of time, denying the existence of tensed facts and a fortiori objective temporal passage. The reason for this is straightforward: both passage and the obtaining of tensed facts require a universal knife-edge present moment—yet this structure is not easily reconcilable with the relativity of simultaneity. The above being said, the prospects for tense and passage a…
Sophistry about symmetries
A common adage runs that, given a theory manifesting symmetries, the syntax of that theory should be modified in order to construct a new theory, from which symmetry-variant structure of the original theory has been excised. Call this strategy for explicating the underlying ontology of symmetry-related models reduction . Recently, Dewar has proposed an alternative to reduction as a means of articulating the ontology of symmetry-related models—wha…
Euclidean spacetime functionalism
We explore the significance of physical theories set in Euclidean spacetimes (i.e., theories with Riemannian rather than pseudo-Riemannian metrical structure). In particular, we explore (a) the use of these theories in contemporary physics at large, and (b) the sense in which there can be a notion of temporal evolution in these theories. Having achieved these tasks, we proceed to reflect on the lessons that one can take from such theories for Kno…
Teaching and learning guide for
The epistemology of spacetime
How is it that the basic structures of space and time come to manifest themselves in physical theories and theorising, and in our empirical experience of the world? This question is central to an important field of the philosophy of physics: the epistemology of spacetime. In this article, we survey systematically the various responses which have been offered to this question, highlighting little-explored connections and open research questions
Newtonian Equivalence Principles
The equivalence principle has constituted one of the cornerstones of discussions in the foundations of spacetime theories over the past century. However, up to this point the principle has been considered overwhelmingly only within the context of relativistic physics. In this article, we demonstrate that the principle has much broader, super-theoretic significance: to do so, we present a unified framework for understanding the principle in its va…
How to Teach General Relativity
Supposing that one is already familiar with special relativistic physics, what constitutes the best route via which to arrive at the architecture of the general theory of relativity? Although the later Einstein would stress the significance of mathematical and theoretical principles in answering this question, in this article we follow the lead of the earlier Einstein (circa 1916) and stress instead how one can go a long way to arriving at the ge…
Causation and the conservation of energy in general relativity
Consensus in the contemporary philosophical literature has it that conserved quantity\ntheories of causation such as that of Dowe [2000]—according to which causation is to be\nanalysed in terms of the exchange of conserved quantities (e.g., energy)—face damning\nproblems when confronted with contemporary physics, where the notion of conservation\nbecomes delicate. In particular, in general relativity it is often claimed that there simply\nare no …
An invitation to conventionalism
Geometric underdetermination (i.e., the underdetermination of the geometric properties of space and time) is a live possibility in light of some of our best theories of physics. In response to this, geometric conventionalism offers a selective anti-realism, refusing to assign truth values to variant geometric propositions. Although often regarded as being dead in the water by modern philosophers, in this article we propose to revitalise the progr…
Is spacetime curved? Assessing the underdetermination of general relativity and teleparallel gravity
Realism about general relativity (GR) seems to imply realism about spacetime curvature. The existence of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity (TEGR) calls this into question, for (a) TEGR is set in a torsionful but flat spacetime, and (b) TEGR is empirically equivalent to GR. Knox (Stud Hist Philos Sci Part B Stud Hist Philos Mod Phys 42(4):264–275, 2011) claims that there is no genuine underdetermination between GR and TEGR; we call…
Gravitational redshift revisited
Gravitational redshift effects undoubtedly exist; moreover, the experimental setups which confirm the existence of these effects-the most famous of which being the Pound-Rebka experiment-are extremely well-known. Nonetheless-and perhaps surprisingly-there remains a great deal of confusion in the literature regarding what these experiments really establish. Our goal in the present article is to clarify these issues, in three concrete ways. First, …
Philosophy (20 obras) · Relativity and Gravitational Theory (20 obras) · Epistemology (19 obras) · Physics (18 obras) · Theoretical physics (15 obras) · Mathematics (14 obras) · Metaphysics (13 obras) · Quantum Mechanics and Applications (13 obras) · Philosophy of science (12 obras) · Cosmology and Gravitation Theories (10 obras)