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Are the notions of past, present and future compatible with the General Theory of Relativity?

Sega, Daniel D. and Galviz, Daniel (2020) Are the notions of past, present and future compatible with the General Theory of Relativity? [Preprint]

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Abstract

The notions of time and causality are revisited, as well as the A- and B-theory of time, in order to determine which theory of time is most compatible with relativistic spacetimes. By considering orientable spacetimes and defining a time-orientation, we formalize the concepts of a time-series in relativistic spacetimes; A-theory and B-theory are given mathematical descriptions within the formalism of General Relativity. As a result, in time-orientable spacetimes, the notions of events being in the future and in the past, which are notions of A-theory, are found to be more fundamental than the notions of events being earlier than or later than other events, which are notions of B-theory. Furthermore, we find that B-theory notions are incompatible with some structures encountered in globally hyperbolic spacetimes, namely past and future inextendible curves. Hence, GR is favorable to A-theory and the notions of past, present and future.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Sega, Daniel D.daniel.sega@gmail.com0000-0003-0670-4925
Galviz, Danieldanielgalviz@uni-bonn.de
Keywords: General Relativity, Causality, Global hyperbolicity, Theories of time
Subjects: General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User: Ms. Daniel Sega
Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2020 02:45
Last Modified: 22 May 2023 18:01
Item ID: 17334
Subjects: General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date: 14 June 2020
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/17334

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