Harrington, James (2007) Predicate-term negation and the indeterminacy of the future. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This essay introduces a formal structure to model the indeterminacy of the future in Einstein-Minkowski space-time. We consider a first-order language, supplemented with an operator for predicate-term negation, and defend the claim that such an operation provides an appropriate model for the indeterminacy of future contingents. In the final section, it is proved that given a language otherwise adequate to represent a physical theory, at least some of the predicates of that language are indeterminate when the future is not causally determined by the present and the past.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Harrington, James
Keywords:	spacetime, tense logic, indeterminacy, future contingents, relativity
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory General Issues > Determinism/Indeterminism
Depositing User:	JAMES HARRINGTON
Date Deposited:	20 Jun 2011 15:32
Last Modified:	20 Jun 2011 15:32
Item ID:	8676
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory General Issues > Determinism/Indeterminism
Date:	July 2007
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8676

Available Versions of this Item

• Tense Logic in Einstein-Minkowski Space-time. (deposited 23 Jul 2007)
  • Predicate-term negation and the indeterminacy of the future. (deposited 20 Jun 2011 15:32) [Currently Displayed]
  • Tense Logic in Einstein-Minkowski Space-time. (deposited 16 Nov 2010 12:44)

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