Challenging the spacetime structuralist

Philosophy of Science 76 (5):1039-1051 (2009)
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Abstract

Structural realist interpretations of generally relativistic spacetimes have recently come to enjoy a remarkable degree of popularity among philosophers. I present a challenge to these structuralist interpretations that arises from considering cosmological models in general relativity. As a consequence of their high degree of spacetime symmetry, these models resist a structuralist interpretation. I then evaluate the various strategies available to the structuralist to react to this challenge. †To contact the author, please write to: Department of Philosophy, 9500 Gilman Drive, 0119, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093‐0119; e‐mail: [email protected].

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2009-01-28

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Christian Wüthrich
University of Geneva

Citations of this work

Ontic structural realism as a metaphysics of objects.Michael Esfeld & Vincent Lam - 2011 - In Alisa Bokulich & Peter Bokulich, Scientific Structuralism. Springer Science+Business Media. pp. 143-159.
In defence of ontic structural realism.Steven French & James Ladyman - 2011 - In Alisa Bokulich & Peter Bokulich, Scientific Structuralism. Springer Science+Business Media. pp. 25-42.

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References found in this work

Every Thing Must Go: Metaphysics Naturalized.James Ladyman & Don Ross - 2007 - In James Ladyman & Don Ross, Every thing must go: metaphysics naturalized. New York: Oxford University Press.
The identity of indiscernibles.Max Black - 1952 - Mind 61 (242):153-164.
Quantum entanglement and a metaphysics of relations.Michael Esfeld - 2004 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 35 (4):601-617.
Physics and Leibniz's principles.Simon Saunders - 2002 - In Katherine Brading & Elena Castellani, Symmetries in Physics: Philosophical Reflections. New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 289--307.

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