PhilSci Archive

On the ontology of spacetime: Substantivalism, relationism, eternalism, and emergence

Romero, Gustavo E. (2017) On the ontology of spacetime: Substantivalism, relationism, eternalism, and emergence. Foundations of Science. ISSN 1233-1821

[img]
Preview
Text
Romero_Gustavo_Ontology_Time_rev.pdf

Download (307kB) | Preview

Abstract

I present a discussion of some issues in the ontology of spacetime.
After a characterisation of the controversies among relationists, substantivalists,
eternalists, and presentists, I offer a new argument for rejecting presentism,
the doctrine that only present objects exist. Then, I outline and defend
a form of spacetime realism that I call event substantivalism. I propose an
ontological theory for the emergence of spacetime from more basic entities
(timeless and spaceless `events'). Finally, I argue that a relational theory of
pre-geometric entities can give rise to substantival spacetime in such a way
that relationism and substantivalism are not necessarily opposed positions,
but rather complementary. In an appendix I give axiomatic formulations of
my ontological views.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Romero, Gustavo E.gustavo.esteban.romero@gmail.com
Keywords: Ontology , physics , spacetime
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User: Prof. Dr. Gustavo E. Romero
Date Deposited: 11 Jan 2018 19:08
Last Modified: 11 Jan 2018 19:08
Item ID: 14276
Journal or Publication Title: Foundations of Science
Publisher: Springer
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date: 2017
ISSN: 1233-1821
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/14276

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item