A system of axioms for Minkowski spacetime

DOI10.1007/S10992-020-09565-6zbMATH Open1473.03008arXiv2007.12983OpenAlexW3021747992MaRDI QIDQ830382FDOQ830382

Joshua Babic, Lorenzo Cocco

Publication date: 7 May 2021

Published in: Journal of Philosophical Logic (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: We present an elementary system of axioms for the geometry of Minkowski spacetime. It strikes a balance between a simple and streamlined set of axioms and the attempt to give a direct formalization in first-order logic of the standard account of Minkowski spacetime in [Maudlin 2012] and [Malament, unpublished]. It is intended for future use in the formalization of physical theories in Minkowski spacetime. The choice of primitives is in the spirit of [Tarski 1959]: a predicate of betwenness and a four place predicate to compare the square of the relativistic intervals. Minkowski spacetime is described as a four dimensional `vector space' that can be decomposed everywhere into a spacelike hyperplane - which obeys the Euclidean axioms in [Tarski and Givant, 1999] - and an orthogonal timelike line. The length of other `vectors' are calculated according to Pythagoras' theorem. We conclude with a Representation Theorem relating models $mathfrakM$ of our system $mathcal{M}^1$ that satisfy second order continuity to the mathematical structure $langlemathbb{R}^4,et{a}_{ab}angle$, called `Minkowski spacetime' in physics textbooks.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2007.12983

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zbMATH Keywords

axiomatizationMinkowski spacetimespecial relativityrepresentation theoremsnominalismsynthetic mechanics and geometry

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Congruence and orthogonality in metric geometry (51F20) Foundations of classical theories (including reverse mathematics) (03B30)

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Cited In (5)

• Towards formalising Schutz' axioms for Minkowski spacetime in Isabelle/HOL
• Complexity in the interdefinability of timelike, lightlike and spacelike relatedness of Minkowski spacetime
• Hermann Minkowski, Relativity and the Axiomatic Approach to Physics
• Verisimilitude Redefined
• Ordered absolute geometry

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