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...

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Publicado en:Synthese Vol. 206; no. 2; pp. 1 - 28
Autor principal: Adlam, Emily
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Springer Nature Aug2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Relational observables, quiddities, and structural realism.
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        au: Adlam, Emily
        affil: https://ror.org/0452jzg20 Philosophy Department and Institute for Quantum Studies, Chapman University, CA92866, Orange, USA
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        General relativity
        Laws of nature
        Modality
        Philosophy and Religious Studies Philosophy
        Quantum gravity
        Spacetime
        Structural realism
      ab: 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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