Roberts, Bryan W. (2025) The conventionality of geometry is merely incomplete. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Empiricists following Poincar\'e have argued that spacetime geometry can be freely chosen by convention, while adjusting unobservable structure so as to maintain empirical adequacy. In this article, I first strengthen a no-go result of Weatherall and Manchak against the conventionality of geometry, and then argue that any remaining conventionality arises from scientific incompleteness. To illustrate, I discuss a new kind of conventionality that is available in the presence of higher spatial dimensions, and illustrate how the incompleteness in such models can be resolved by introducing new physical theories like Kaluza-Klein theory. Conventional choices of this kind may provide a fruitful starting point in the search for new science, but if successful would eliminate the conventionalist alternatives.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Roberts, Bryan W. b.w.roberts@lse.ac.uk 0000-0003-0548-1280
Keywords:	conventionality of geometry, philosophy of space and time, philosophy of physics
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Ontology Specific Sciences > Physics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User:	Dr. Bryan W. Roberts
Date Deposited:	01 Apr 2025 16:48
Last Modified:	01 Apr 2025 16:48
Item ID:	24987
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Ontology Specific Sciences > Physics General Issues > Realism/Anti-realism Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date:	1 April 2025
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/24987

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