Infinity machines and creation ex nihilo

Synthese 115 (2):259-265 (1998)
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Abstract

In this paper a simple model in particle dynamics of a well-known supertask is constructed (the supertask was introduced by Max Black some years ago). As a consequence, a new and simple result about creation ex nihilo of particles can be proved compatible with classical dynamics. This result cannot be avoided by imposing boundary conditions at spatial infinity, and therefore is really new in the literature. It follows that there is no reason why even a world of rigid spheres should be eternal, as has been erroneously assumed, especially since the time of Newton.

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Jon Perez Laraudogoitia
University of the Basque Country

Citations of this work

On Shackel’s nothing from infinity paradox.Amaia Corral-Villate - 2020 - European Journal for Philosophy of Science 10 (3):1-13.
Infinite sequences: Finitist consequence.Martin C. Cooke - 2003 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 54 (4):591-599.
Evens and odds in Newtonian collision mechanics.Leonard Angel - 2005 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 56 (1):179-188.
The Nothing from Infinity paradox versus Plenitudinous Indeterminism.Nicholas Shackel - 2022 - European Journal for Philosophy of Science 12 (online early):1-14.

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References found in this work

Laws and symmetry.Bas C. Van Fraassen - 1989 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Laws and Symmetry.Bas C. Van Fraassen - 1989 - Revue Philosophique de la France Et de l'Etranger 182 (3):327-329.
Zeno’s Paradoxes.Wesley Charles Salmon (ed.) - 1970 - Indianapolis, IN, USA: Bobbs-Merrill.

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