In search of (spacetime) structuralism
نویسنده
چکیده
Structuralism is supposed to be a dissolver of metaphysical pseudodebates. This paper is a search for the thesis behind the rhetoric. Taking ‘spacetime structuralism’ as a case study, I identify six different theses that seem to share this name. My conclusions are largely negative: that those theses that are new are not plausible, and vice versa. The exception is structuralism as a rejection of the fundamentality of the object/property/relation framework, but in this case it is as yet unclear what the positive thesis might be.
منابع مشابه
Spacetime Structuralism
In this essay, I consider the ontological status of spacetime from the points of view of the standard tensor formalism and three alternatives: twistor theory, Einstein algebras, and geometric algebra. I briefly review how classical field theories can be formulated in each of these formalisms, and indicate how this suggests a structural realist interpretation of spacetime.
متن کاملStructuralism and Ibn Arabi's Theory of Haqq-i Mutaqad
The structuralists are of the view that all mystical experiences are formed under the influence of mental backgrounds of the gnostic including their ideological backgrounds. A study of Ibn Arabichr('39')s theory of haqq-i mutaqad will lead us to conclude that in his view the intuition of the truth in preliminary level can be under the influence of ideological backgrounds and formed in their ...
متن کاملفضا زمان های در حال تحول با فشار شعاعی خالص
In this study time-dependent and spherically symmetric solutions of the Einstein field equations in an anisotropic background with a purely radial tension are presented. There exist three classes of solutions,1) An open spacetime with a wormhole at its center. 2) A conical spacetime. 3) A closed spacetime. These inhomogeneous solutions are reduced to FRW spacetimes in matter-dominated era, as...
متن کاملSpacetimes admitting quasi-conformal curvature tensor
The object of the present paper is to study spacetimes admitting quasi-conformal curvature tensor. At first we prove that a quasi-conformally flat spacetime is Einstein and hence it is of constant curvature and the energy momentum tensor of such a spacetime satisfying Einstein's field equation with cosmological constant is covariant constant. Next, we prove that if the perfect flui...
متن کاملSymmetries and Paraparticles as a Motivation for Structuralism
This paper develops an analogy proposed by Stachel between general relativity (GR) and quantum mechanics (QM) as regards permutation invariance. Our main idea is to overcome Pooley’s criticism of the analogy by appeal to paraparticles. In GR the equations are (the solution space is) invariant under diffeomorphisms permuting spacetime points. Similarly, in QM the equations are invariant under pa...
متن کامل