Philosophy Beyond Spacetime

Author : Nick Huggett
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 110847702X
Total Pages : 371 pages
Book Rating : 4.24/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Beyond Spacetime written by Nick Huggett and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-14 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of essays discussing the philosophy and foundations of quantum gravity. Written by leading philosophers and physicists in the field, chapters cover the important conceptual questions in the search for a quantum theory of gravity, and the current state of understanding among philosophers and physicists.

Author : Christian Wüthrich
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 019258247X
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.78/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Philosophy Beyond Spacetime written by Christian Wüthrich and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2021-08-26 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Quantum gravity seeks a unified theory in which quantum matter is dynamically related to generally relativistic spacetime. Although a continuing work in progress, research programmes in the field such as string theory, loop quantum gravity, and causal set theory make it clear that a successful theory of quantum gravity will raise important challenges to our conceptions of space, time, and matter-perhaps abolishing them altogether as fundamental entities. But just as important, there is good reason to think that some of the problems in finding a theory of quantum gravity are themselves conceptual, in need of philosophical analysis. Philosophy Beyond Spacetime: Implications from Quantum Gravity assembles original papers from philosophers (and one physicist), establishing a definitive statement of the current state of play, on which future research into this area can build. Aiming to expand knowledge and understanding of the philosophy of quantum gravity, it emphasizes how debates in metaphysics—regarding emergence, composition, or grounding for example—shed light on the conceptual questions of quantum gravity. And conversely, how quantum theories of space and time call into question philosophical views grounded in classical spacetime. Furthermore, the philosophy of quantum gravity raises methodological questions, for instance concerning the relation between physics and metaphysics. The essays have been chosen to demonstrate to a wide range of philosophers the significance of the subject, as well as making novel contributions to it.

Author : Nick Huggett
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108757189
Total Pages : 371 pages
Book Rating : 4.88/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Beyond Spacetime written by Nick Huggett and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-14 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the greatest challenges in fundamental physics is to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity in a theory of quantum gravity. A successful theory would have profound consequences for our understanding of space, time, and matter. This collection of essays written by eminent physicists and philosophers discusses these consequences and examines the most important conceptual questions among philosophers and physicists in their search for a quantum theory of gravity. Comprising three parts, the book explores the emergence of classical spacetime, the nature of time, and important questions of the interpretation, metaphysics, and epistemology of quantum gravity. These essays will appeal to both physicists and philosophers of science working on problems in foundational physics, specifically that of quantum gravity.

Author : Vesselin Petkov
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3642135382
Total Pages : 316 pages
Book Rating : 4.85/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Space, Time, and Spacetime written by Vesselin Petkov and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-09-02 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dedicated to the centennial anniversary of Minkowski's discovery of spacetime, this volume contains papers, most presented at the Third International Conference on the Nature and Ontology of Spacetime, that address some of the deepest questions in physics.

Author :
Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 9780080461885
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.83/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Ontology of Spacetime written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2006-07-10 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains selected papers from the First International Conference on the Ontology of Spacetime. Its fourteen chapters address two main questions: first, what is the current status of the substantivalism/relationalism debate, and second, what about the prospects of presentism and becoming within present-day physics and its philosophy? The overall tenor of the four chapters of the book’s first part is that the prospects of spacetime substantivalism are bleak, although different possible positions remain with respect to the ontological status of spacetime. Part II and Part III of the book are devoted to presentism, eternalism, and becoming, from two different perspectives. In the six chapters of Part II it is argued, in different ways, that relativity theory does not have essential consequences for these issues. It certainly is true that the structure of time is different, according to relativity theory, from the one in classical theory. But that does not mean that a decision is forced between presentism and eternalism, or that becoming has proved to be an impossible concept. It may even be asked whether presentism and eternalism really offer different ontological perspectives at all. The writers of the last four chapters, in Part III, disagree. They argue that relativity theory is incompatible with becoming and presentism. Several of them come up with proposals to go beyond relativity, in order to restore the prospects of presentism. · Space and time in present-day physics and philosophy · Introduction from scratch of the debates surrounding time · Broad spectrum of approaches, coherently represented

Author : Michael Silberstein
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0192533835
Total Pages : 423 pages
Book Rating : 4.38/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Beyond the Dynamical Universe written by Michael Silberstein and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-02-02 with total page 423 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theoretical physics and foundations of physics have not made much progress in the last few decades. Whether we are talking about unifying general relativity and quantum field theory (quantum gravity), explaining so-called dark energy and dark matter (cosmology), or the interpretation and implications of quantum mechanics and relativity, there is no consensus in sight. In addition, both enterprises are deeply puzzled about various facets of time including above all, time as experienced. The authors argue that, across the board, this impasse is the result of the "dynamical universe paradigm," the idea that reality is fundamentally made up of physical entities that evolve in time from some initial state according to dynamical laws. Thus, in the dynamical universe, the initial conditions plus the dynamical laws explain everything else going exclusively forward in time. In cosmology, for example, the initial conditions reside in the Big Bang and the dynamical law is supplied by general relativity. Accordingly, the present state of the universe is explained exclusively by its past. This book offers a completely new paradigm (called Relational Blockworld), whereby the past, present and future co-determine each other via "adynamical global constraints," such as the least action principle. Accordingly, the future is just as important for explaining the present as is the past. Most of the book is devoted to showing how Relational Blockworld resolves many of the current conundrums of both theoretical physics and foundations of physics, including the mystery of time as experienced and how that experience relates to the block universe.

Author : J. E. Baggott
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780198525363
Total Pages : 400 pages
Book Rating : 4.62/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Beyond Measure written by J. E. Baggott and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the problems of quantum theory from the perspective of mathematical formalism. -- Back cover.

Author : Edward Slowik
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319448684
Total Pages : 342 pages
Book Rating : 4.88/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Deep Metaphysics of Space written by Edward Slowik and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-12 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume explores the inadequacies of the two standard conceptions of space or spacetime, substantivalism and relationism, and in the process, proposes a new historical interpretation of these physical theories. This book also examines and develops alternative ontological conceptions of space, and explores additional historical elements of seventeenth century theories and other metaphysical themes. The author first discusses the two main opposing theories of the ontology of space. One, known as substantivalism, proposes space to be an entity that can exist independently of material things. The other, relationism, contends that space is a relation among material things. Readers will learn about specific problems with this dichotomy. First, Newton and Leibniz are often upheld as the retrospective forerunners of substantivalism and relationism. But, their work often contradicts the central tenets of these views. Second, these theories have proven problematic when transferred to a modern setting, especially with regards to general relativity and the recent quantum gravity hypotheses. The author details an alternative set of concepts that address these problems. The author also develops a new classificational system that provides a more accurate taxonomy for the elements of all spatial ontologies. This classification obtains successful analogies between Newton, Leibniz, and other natural philosophers with contemporary physical theories.

Author : Adrian Bardon
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0197684106
Total Pages : 233 pages
Book Rating : 4.08/5 ( download)

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Download or read book A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time, Second Edition written by Adrian Bardon and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2024-04-12 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Adrian Bardon's A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time is a short introduction to the history, philosophy, and science of the study of time--from the pre-Socratic philosophers through Einstein and beyond. Bardon covers subjects such as time and change, the experience of time, physical and metaphysical approaches to the nature of time, the direction of time, time travel, time and freedom of the will, and scientific and philosophical approaches to cosmology and the beginning of time. He employs helpful illustrations and keeps technical language to a minimum in bringing the resources of over 2500 years of philosophy and science to bear on some of humanity's most fundamental and enduring questions.

Author : Adrian Bardon
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1136596887
Total Pages : 231 pages
Book Rating : 4.89/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Future of the Philosophy of Time written by Adrian Bardon and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2013-03-01 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The last century has seen enormous progress in our understanding of time. This volume features original essays by the foremost philosophers of time discussing the goals and methodology of the philosophy of time, and examining the best way to move forward with regard to the field's core issues. The collection is unique in combining cutting edge work on time with a focus on the big picture of time studies as a discipline. The major questions asked include: What are the implications of relativity and quantum physics on our understanding of time? Is the passage of time real, or just a subjective phenomenon? Are the past and future real, or is the present all that exists? If the future is real and unchanging (as contemporary physics seems to suggest), how is free will possible? Since only the present moment is perceived, how does the experience as we know it come about? How does experience take on its character of a continuous flow of moments or events? What explains the apparent one-way direction of time? Is time travel a logical/metaphysical possibility?