Relational observables, quiddities, and structural realism.
In this article, I argue that modern spacetime physics causes problems for a number of traditional accounts of modality, but also offers important new ideas about the connection between modal and non-modal features of reality. I suggest that recent work on relational observables in general relativit...
| Publicado en: | Synthese Vol. 206; no. 2; pp. 1 - 28 |
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| Autor principal: | |
| Formato: | Artículo |
| Publicado: |
Springer Nature
Aug2025
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| Sumario: | In this article, I argue that modern spacetime physics causes problems for a number of traditional accounts of modality, but also offers important new ideas about the connection between modal and non-modal features of reality. I suggest that recent work on relational observables in general relativity and quantum gravity can help us understand how non-modal features of reality could arise from modal features of reality within some form of modal ontic structural realism. In particular, I argue that the notion of an ‘internal view,’ as employed in the partial/complete observables formalism and the quantum reference frame formalism, is an important conceptual insight which can help address outstanding problems in the philosophy of lawhood and modality. |
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