Spacetime| Spacetime |
Historical / Philosophical Aspects > s.a. Event; geometry;
philosophy of science;
physics; quantum
cosmology.
* History: 1754, D'Alembert,
in the article on dimensions in the Encyclopédie,
v4 p1010, proposes to use time as a fourth dimension [@ Lang 87, p5]; 1921,
Weyl identifies the mathematical structures in relativistic
spacetime;
1924, Reichenbach proposes a conceptual axiomatization; 1972, Ehlers-Pirani-Schild
propose a physical axiomatization of the conformal
structure.
* Substantialism: (Spatialism,
Absolutism) Spacetime is a fundamental entity whose existence is intrinsic,
it contains events but nothing changes; Dynamics is
a derived property (Newton, Grünbaum, ...); Quite an old point of
view, but subject to criticism based on radical local indeterminism.
* Relationism: (Process philosophy) There are just spatial and temporal
relations between bodies-events; Time-becoming is the fundamental ontological
feature, everything else is emergent; Substance is just a cross-section
of
a basic process (Aristotle, Leibniz, ...).
* Debate: Some claim
that the relationalist position has been rejected by the developments in physics,
and in relativity one usually assumes implicitly
that spacetime is a physical object like others; But recently there have
been ideas (especially from quantum gravity) to replace it with other more
fundamental notions; Besides, in quantum theory, the (initial) position of
Heisenberg that
only observable quantities should enter the theory, and Chew's
S-matrix approach
to quantum field theory, discard the notion of spacetime; Most positions are
intermediate; For example, Earman has advocated a third option based on Leibniz
algebras.
* Conventionalism: The
philosophical theory according to which the real world does not imply any particular
geometrical model, and all models
which
give equal experimental predictions should be considered equivalent; Proposed
by Carnap; > see also formulations
of general relativity [flat spacetime].
Spacetime Measurements > s.a. atomic
physics [interferometry]; riemann tensor.
@ Measurement theory: Møller 72, ch8; Desloge FP(89)
[device]; Mashhoon PLA(90)
[limitations], in(98)gq/00;
Coleman & Korté in(92);
Boniolo & de Felice FP(00)
[philosophical foundations]; Sen CMP(08) [and notion of a geometrical point].
@ Spatial distances, lengths: Schmidt GRG(96)gq/95;
Mashhoon & Muench
AdP(02)gq [accelerated
frames].
@ Related topics: Itzhaki PRD(96)ht/95 [and
black hole information]; Liu & Mashhoon PLA(00)gq [in
Kaluza-Klein theories]; Bahder AJP(01)gq [spacetime "navigation"];
Crawford & Tereno
GRG(02)gq/01 [and
observers]; Mensky G&C(02)gq [in
terms of paths].
Specific Topics > see classical
types; foundations of quantum mechanics; models
of
spacetime; quantum spacetime; special
subsets; topology.
> Related topics: see Hole
Argument; Spacetime
Algebra.
References > s.a. models [evolving space vs spacetime]; time [block
universe vs evolution].
@ General: Mach 06; Reichenbach 57; Sklar 74; Earman et al ed-77; Bloodwell QJRAS(85);
M Friedman 86; Hinckfuss BJPS(88);
Earman 89; Mundy PhSc(89)dec;
Jammer 93 [overview]; Nerlich 94; Majer & Schmidt
ed-95; Bertolami gq/06-in.
@ Historical: Capek ed-76; Clark 92; Bertolami a0804-in [Minkowski's
contribution].
@ Books, I: Ridley 95; Morris 99; Pickover 99.
@ General/mathematical: Torretti 83; Matolcsi 84; Gray 89; Ray 91;
Pollini & Tarozzi ed-92; Yau IJMPA(02) [mostly strings].
@ Philosophical: Grünbaum 73; Stein in(77); Sklar 85; Nerlich
94; Schommers 94; Hellman BJPS(98)
[constructive math]; Slowik PhSc(99) [Descartes
and relational motion]; Zimmermann gq/00, gq/00-in
[pregeometry, spin networks]; Bitsakis FP(05)
[re a priorism]; Petkov 05; DiSalle 06; Friedman SHPMP(07);
Hilbert & Huggett PhSc(07)
[how space is internalized]; Petkov FP(07) [reality of spacetime].
@ Space/spacetime
points: Arntzenius PhSc(03); Butterfield BJPS(06)
[against "pointillisme" in mechanics].
@ Relationism: Capek 61; Harris
65; Barbour BJPS(82);
Mundy PhSc(83)jun;
Butterfield BJPS(84);
Catton & Solomon PhSc(88)jun; Weinstein BJPS(01)
[and quantum mechanics]; Anderson gq/05-in
[geometrodynamics]; Skow BJPS(07)
[re Sklar's 1974 relationalist interpretation of Newtonian mechanics].
@ Substantialism: Rynasiewicz PhSc(92)dec
[criticism, including Earman's Leibniz or Einstein algebras]; & Earman, & Rynasiewicz,
Levrini S&E(02)
[educational implications]; Bain PhSc(03)
[Einstein algebras and hole argument against]; Baker PhSc(05)
[and the cosmological constant].
@ Substantialism vs Relationism: Maudlin PhSc(93);
Lorente in(94)gq/03 [relational
theories]; Hoefer BJPS(98);
in Baez gq/99 [and
quantum gravity]; Dorato FP(00)
["structural spacetime realism"];
Auyang SHPMP(01);
Dieks SHPMP(01).
@ Conventionalism:
Gimbel SHPMP(04)
[on Reichenbach]; Sklar PhSc(04);
Mormann
PhSc(05)
[indefensibility]; Slowik PhSc(05) [and the substantival-relationist debate]; > s.a. lorentz
invariance.
@ Related topics: Meschini & Lehto FP(06)gq/05 [physical
status of empty spacetime]; Verozub gq/96-in
[spacetime geometry not absolute]; Mondragon & López a0711;
Lorente a0712-in [ontology and causal spin foam].
> Online resources:
see Internet Encyclopedia of Science pages.
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Send feedback and suggestions to bombelli at olemiss.edu – Modified
21 jun 2008