On the Existence of Spacetime Structure

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8397276
AutoresErik Curiel (0000-0002-5812-3033, Munich School of Philosophy, autor correspondente)
Ano2018
Volume69
Fascículo2
Páginas447-483
Data de publicação2018-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0007-0882 • E-ISSN: 1464-3537
EditoraOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/bjps/axw014
OpenAlexW2100880319
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas7
Referências citadas36

I examine the debate between substantivalists and relationalists about the ontological character of spacetime and conclude it is not well posed. I argue that the hole argument does not bear on the debate, because it provides no clear criterion to distinguish the positions. I propose two such precise criteria and construct separate arguments based on each to yield contrary conclusions, one supportive of something like relationalism and the other of something like substantivalism. The lesson is that one must fix an investigative context in order to make such criteria precise, but different investigative contexts yield inconsistent results. I examine questions of existence about spacetime structures other than the spacetime manifold itself to argue that it is more fruitful to focus on pragmatic issues of physicality, a notion that lends itself to several different explications, all of philosophical interest, none privileged a priori over any of the others. I conclude by suggesting an extension of the lessons of my arguments to the broader debate between realists and instrumentalists. 1 Introduction2 The Hole Argument3 Limits of Spacetimes4 Pointless Constructions5 The Debate between Substantivalists and Relationalists6 Existence and Physicality: An Embarassment of Spacetime Structures7 Valedictory Remarks on Realism and Instrumentalism, and the Structure of Our Knowledge of Physics

Argument (complex analysis) · Construct (python library) · Context (archaeology) · Epistemology · Extension (predicate logic) · Focus (optics) · Physics · Realism · Scientific realism · Spacetime · Computer Science · Philosophy · Philosophy, Science, and History · Quantum Mechanics and Applications · Relativity and Gravitational Theory