Motion and observation in a single-particle universe.
We outline an argument that a single-particle universe (a universe containing precisely one pointlike particle) can be described mathematically, in which observation can be considered meaningful despite the a priori impossibility of distinguishing between an observer and the observed. Moreover, we a...
| Publicado en: | Synthese Vol. 192; no. 7; pp. 2261 - 2272 |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
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Springer Nature
Jul2015
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=109574765&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: hlh uiTerm: 109574765 longDbName: Humanities International Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00397857 4LI jtl: Synthese issn: 00397857 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jul2015 vid: 192 iid: 7 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature artinfo: ui: 109574765 10.1007/s11229-014-0489-z ppf: 2261 ppct: 11 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P size: 410KB tig: atl: Motion and observation in a single-particle universe. aug: au: Stannett, Mike affil: University of Sheffield, Sheffield UK su: General relativity (Physics) Formalization (Philosophy) Spacetime Underdetermination (Theory of knowledge) Scientific observation Mathematical models sug: subj: General relativity (Physics) Formalization (Philosophy) Spacetime Underdetermination (Theory of knowledge) Scientific observation Mathematical models keyword: First-order relativity theory Formal philosophy Formal physical models Observational indistinguishability Philosophy of spacetime Underdetermination ab: We outline an argument that a single-particle universe (a universe containing precisely one pointlike particle) can be described mathematically, in which observation can be considered meaningful despite the a priori impossibility of distinguishing between an observer and the observed. Moreover, we argue, such a universe can be observationally similar to the world we see around us. It is arguably impossible, therefore, to determine by experimental observation of the physical world whether the universe we inhabit contains one particle or many-modern scientific theories cannot, therefore, be regarded as descriptions of 'reality', but are at best human artefacts. Our argument uses a formal model of spacetime that can be considered either relational or substantivalist depending on one's preferred level of abstraction, and therefore suggests that this long-held distinction is also to some extent illusory. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: Y custom: Synthese is a copyright of Springer, 2015. All Rights Reserved. item: Synthese holder: Springer Nature dt: @attributes: year: 2015 holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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