Le Bihan, Baptiste (2026) The Block Universes of Quantum Gravity: Eternalism and Fragmentalism Beyond Spacetime. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Relativity supports a block-universe view on which past, present and future entities coexist within spacetime. Quantum gravity complicates this picture by suggesting that spacetime may be emergent. I distinguish spacetime emergence from block emergence: the former concerns the emergence of spatiotemporal structure, while the latter concerns the emergence of a unified domain of spatiotemporal existence simpliciter. This distinction clarifies three positions: standard eternalism, atemporal eternalism and atemporal fragmentalism. I argue that eternalism remains the default option once the existence of spacetime is accepted. Atemporal fragmentalism, however, remains a sound interpretation of certain approaches to quantum gravity.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Le Bihan, Baptiste baptiste.lebihan@unige.ch 0000-0002-1245-1373
Additional Information:	For the Comprehensive Philosophy of Science volume (Sven Ove Hansson, ed.)
Keywords:	quantum gravity; eternalism; presentism; fragmentalism; existence
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Causation Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Gravity
Depositing User:	Dr. Baptiste Le Bihan
Date Deposited:	31 May 2026 12:46
Last Modified:	31 May 2026 12:46
Item ID:	29826
Subjects:	General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics General Issues > Causation Specific Sciences > Physics Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Gravity
Date:	2026
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/29826

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