Norton, John D. (2012) What can we Learn about the Ontology of Space and Time from the Theory of Relativity. [Preprint]

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Abstract

This chapter presents an opinionated assessment of what we can learn about the ontology of space and time from the special and general theories of relativity. It uses the requirements of novelty, modesty, realism and robustness to distinguish these morals from those that have been incorrectly drawn. We learn from Einstein’s theories of novel entanglements of categories once held distinct: space with time; space and time with matter; and space and time with causality. We do not learn that all is relative, that time in the fourth dimension in any non-trivial sense, that coordinate systems and even geometry are conventional or that spacetime should be reduced ontologically to causal, spatio-temporal or other relations.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Norton, John D. jdnorton@pitt.edu
Additional Information:	This is a improved version of the earlier draft and includes redrawn figures.
Keywords:	space time relativity
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User:	John Norton
Date Deposited:	12 May 2012 13:12
Last Modified:	12 May 2012 13:12
Item ID:	9113
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date:	11 May 2012
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/9113

Available Versions of this Item

• What Can We Learn about the Ontology of Space and Time from the Theory of Relativity? (deposited 10 Feb 2001)
  • What can we Learn about the Ontology of Space and Time from the Theory of Relativity. (deposited 12 May 2012 13:12) [Currently Displayed]

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