Presentism meets black holes

DOI10.1007/S13194-014-0085-6zbMATH Open1319.83016arXiv1403.3655OpenAlexW2593256016MaRDI QIDQ2354065FDOQ2354065

Authors: Gustavo E. Romero, Daniela Pérez 

Publication date: 10 July 2015

Published in: European Journal for Philosophy of Science (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Presentism is, roughly, the metaphysical doctrine that maintains that whatever exists, exists in the present. The compatibility of presentism with the theories of special and general relativity was much debated in recent years. It has been argued that at least some versions of presentism are consistent with time-orientable models of general relativity. In this paper we confront the thesis of presentism with relativistic physics, in the strong gravitational limit where black holes are formed. We conclude that the presentist position is at odds with the existence of black holes and other compact objects in the universe. A revision of the thesis is necessary, if it is intended to be consistent with the current scientific view of the universe.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1403.3655

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zbMATH Keywords

black holesrelativityspace-timefour-dimensionalismpresentism

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Philosophical and critical aspects of logic and foundations (03A05) Special relativity (83A05) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Black holes (83C57)

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Cited In (8)

• On the ontology of spacetime: substantivalism, relationism, eternalism, and emergence
• Re-thinking time at the interface of physics and philosophy. The forgotten present
• Presentism and black holes
• No presentism in quantum gravity
• The rates of the passing of time, presentism, and the issue of co-existence in special relativity
• I \(\heartsuit\; \diamondsuit\) s
• Defining a relativity-proof notion of the present via spatio-temporal indeterminism
• Special relativity and the future: a defense of the point present

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