| Sumario: | Does the gravitational field described in general relativity possess genuine stress-energy? We answer this question in the affirmative, in (i) a weak sense applicable in a certain class of models of the theory, and (ii) arguably also in a strong sense, applicable in all models of the theory. In addition, we argue that one can be a realist about gravitational stress-energy in general relativity even if one is a relationist about spacetime ontology. In each case, our reasoning rests upon a functionalist approach to the definition of physical quantities. 1 Introduction 2 Dramatis Personae 2.1 General relativity 2.2 Differential and integral conservation laws 2.3 Conservation equations in special and general relativity 2.4 Killing vector fields and spacetime isometries 2.5 The gravitational stress-energy pseudotensor 3 Interpreting Conservation Laws for Total Stress-Energy 3.1 The differential conservation law for total stress-energy 3.2 The integral conservation law for total stress-energy 3.3 Gravitational stress-energy 4 Gravitational Stress-Energy and Spacetime Ontology 4.1 Relationism and gravitational stress-energy 4.2 The cosmological constant 5 Conclusion
|
|---|