Duality and ontology

Dados Bibliográficos

ID4079322
AutoresBaptiste Le Bihan (0000-0002-1245-1373, University of Geneva), James Read (0000-0003-2226-0340, University of Illinois Chicago, autor correspondente)
Ano2018
Volume13
Fascículo12
Data de publicação2018-12-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPhilosophy Compass (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1747-9991 • E-ISSN: 1747-9991
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/phc3.12555
OpenAlexW2886594178
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas20
Referências citadas50

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 theories raise questions familiar from discussions of underdetermination in the philosophy of science: in the presence of dual theories, what is one to say about the ontology of the world? In this paper, we undertake a comprehensive and nontechnical survey of the landscape of possible ontological interpretations of duality-related theories. We provide a significantly enriched and clarified taxonomy of options-several of which are novel to the literature

Epistemology · Linguistics · Mereology · Metaphysics · Ontology · Philosophy of language · Philosophy of science · Physics · Pure mathematics · String theory · Theoretical physics · Underdetermination · Biofield Effects and Biophysics · Mathematics · Philosophy · Philosophy and History of Science · Quantum Mechanics and Applications