Fletcher, Samuel C. (2014) Similarity, Topology, and Physical Significance in Relativity Theory. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 67 (2). pp. 365-389. ISSN 1464-3537
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Abstract
Stephen Hawking, among others, has proposed that the topological stability of a property of spacetime is a necessary condition for it to be physically significant. What counts as stable, however, depends crucially on the choice of topology. Some physicists have thus suggested that one should find a canonical topology, a single “right” topology for every inquiry. While certain such choices might be initially motivated, some little-discussed examples of Geroch and some propositions of my own show that the main candidates—and each possible choice, to some extent—faces the horns of a no-go result. I suggest that instead of trying to decide what the “right” topology is for all problems, one should let the details of particular types of problems guide the choice of an appropriate topology.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
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| Keywords: | similarity, topology, physical significance, general relativity, models, contextualism | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory |
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| Depositing User: | Prof. Samuel C. Fletcher | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 28 May 2020 03:07 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 28 May 2020 03:07 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 17235 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | British Journal for the Philosophy of Science | ||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1093/bjps/axu044 | ||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Models and Idealization Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory |
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| Date: | 29 June 2014 | ||||||
| Page Range: | pp. 365-389 | ||||||
| Volume: | 67 | ||||||
| Number: | 2 | ||||||
| ISSN: | 1464-3537 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/17235 |
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Similarity, Topology, and Physical Significance in
Relativity Theory. (deposited 28 Jun 2013 14:30)
- Similarity, Topology, and Physical Significance in Relativity Theory. (deposited 28 May 2020 03:07) [Currently Displayed]
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