Similarity, Topology, and Physical Significance in Relativity Theory
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8398239 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Samuel C Fletcher (0000-0002-9061-8976, Munich School of Philosophy, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 365-389 |
| Publication date | 2016-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-0882 • E-ISSN: 1464-3537 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/bjps/axu044 |
| OpenAlex | W2052435875 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 18 |
| References cited | 18 |
Stephen Hawking, among others, has proposed that the topological stability of a property of space-time is a necessary condition for it to be physically significant. What counts as stable, however, depends crucially on the choice of topology. Some physicists have thus suggested that one should find a canonical topology, a single ‘right’ topology for every inquiry. While certain such choices might be initially motivated, some little-discussed examples of Robert Geroch and some propositions of my own show that the main candidates—and each possible choice, to some extent—faces the horns of a no-go result. I suggest that instead of trying to decide what the ‘right’ topology is for all problems, one should let the details of particular types of problems guide the choice of an appropriate topology. 1 Introduction2 Similarity, Topology, and Physical Significance3 The Open Topologies4 Continuity in the Geometric Sense and the Compact-Open Topologies5 Methodological Contextualism Appendix
Combinatorics · Discrete mathematics · Epistemology · Extension topology · General topology · Product topology · Property (philosophy) · Pure mathematics · Similarity (geometry) · Space (punctuation) · Subbase · Topological space · Topology (electrical circuits) · Weak topology (polar topology) · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Cosmology and Gravitation Theories · Geometry and Topology · Mathematics · Quantum Mechanics and Applications · Relativity and Gravitational Theory
On Artigas and Analytic Philosophy
Theoretical equivalence and duality
On Gödel and the Ideality of Time
Philosophy of Astrophysics
The Logic in Philosophy of Science
Interpreting cosmic no hair theorems
On the reduction of general relativity to Newtonian gravitation
Why Be regular?, part I
The implementation, interpretation, and justification of likelihoods in cosmology
Naturalness, Wilsonian renormalization, and “fundamental parameters” in quantum field theory
Deduction and definability in infinite statistical systems
An invitation to approximate symmetry, with three applications to intertheoretic relations
Supervenience, Reduction, and Translation
Determinism and General Relativity
Similarity Structure and Emergent Properties
On the (In?)Stability of Spacetime Inextendibility
Reductive Explanation and the Construction of Quantum Theories
Epistemic Holes and Determinism in Classical General Relativity
| Unique citing works | 18 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,8 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2023 (8) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 15 |