The Regularity Account of Relational Spacetime.

A version of relationism that takes spatiotemporal structures-spatial geometry and a standard of inertia-to supervene on the history of relations between bodies is described and defended. The account is used to explain how the relationist should con- strue models of Newtonian mechanics in which abso...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Mind (0026-4423) Vol. 115; no. 457; pp. 41 - 74
Autor principal: Huggett, Nick
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Oxford University Press / USA Jan2006
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:A version of relationism that takes spatiotemporal structures-spatial geometry and a standard of inertia-to supervene on the history of relations between bodies is described and defended. The account is used to explain how the relationist should con- strue models of Newtonian mechanics in which absolute acceleration manifestly does not supervene on the relations; Ptolemaic and Copernican models for example. The account introduces a new way in which a Lewis-style 'best system' might capture regularities in a broadly Humean world; a defence is given against a charge of indeterminism that applies to any such approach to laws.