Philosophy Beyond Spacetime
Implications from Quantum Gravity
Published on 12. August 2021
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-0-19-884414-3 (ISBN)
Description
Quantum gravity seeks a unified theory in which quantum matter is dynamically related to generally relativistic spacetime. Although a continuing work in progress, research programmes in the field such as string theory, loop quantum gravity, and causal set theory make it clear that a successful theory of quantum gravity will raise important challenges to our conceptions of space, time, and matter-perhaps abolishing them altogether as fundamental entities. But just as important, there is good reason to think that some of the problems in finding a theory of quantum gravity are themselves conceptual, in need of philosophical analysis.
Philosophy Beyond Spacetime: Implications from Quantum Gravity assembles original papers from philosophers (and one physicist), establishing a definitive statement of the current state of play, on which future research into this area can build. Aiming to expand knowledge and understanding of the philosophy of quantum gravity, it emphasizes how debates in metaphysics--regarding emergence, composition, or grounding for example--shed light on the conceptual questions of quantum gravity. And conversely, how quantum theories of space and time call into question philosophical views grounded in classical spacetime. Furthermore, the philosophy of quantum gravity raises methodological questions, for instance concerning the relation between physics and metaphysics. The essays have been chosen to demonstrate to a wide range of philosophers the significance of the subject, as well as making novel contributions to it.
Philosophy Beyond Spacetime: Implications from Quantum Gravity assembles original papers from philosophers (and one physicist), establishing a definitive statement of the current state of play, on which future research into this area can build. Aiming to expand knowledge and understanding of the philosophy of quantum gravity, it emphasizes how debates in metaphysics--regarding emergence, composition, or grounding for example--shed light on the conceptual questions of quantum gravity. And conversely, how quantum theories of space and time call into question philosophical views grounded in classical spacetime. Furthermore, the philosophy of quantum gravity raises methodological questions, for instance concerning the relation between physics and metaphysics. The essays have been chosen to demonstrate to a wide range of philosophers the significance of the subject, as well as making novel contributions to it.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 237 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
614 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-884414-3 (9780198844143)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Christian Wüthrich | Baptiste Le Bihan | Nick Huggett
Philosophy Beyond Spacetime
Implications from Quantum Gravity
E-Book
08/2021
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€54.49
Available for download
Christian Wüthrich | Baptiste Le Bihan | Nick Huggett
Philosophy Beyond Spacetime
Implications from Quantum Gravity
E-Book
08/2021
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€54.49
Available for download
Persons
Christian Wuethrich studied physics, philosophy, and history and philosophy of science at Bern and Cambridge. He received his PhD in history and philosophy of science from Pittsburgh. After tenure-track and tenured positions at the University of California, San Diego, he has been at Geneva since 2015. He works in philosophy of physics and metaphysics, with a focus on the philosophy of quantum gravity. Since 2010 he has co-directed the Beyond Spacetime project with Nick Huggett, with support from NSF, ACLS, FQXi, and the John Templeton Foundation.
After a Ph.D. on the metaphysics of time at the University of Rennes completed in 2015, Baptiste Le Bihan has been a postdoctoral researcher in the project 'Space and Time after Quantum Gravity' (University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Geneva) (2016-2018) and a research associate in the project 'To and Fro: Scientific Metaphysics at Physics's Frontiers' in Geneva (2018-2019). He works primarily on the philosophy of space, time, and quantum gravity with a focus on ontological debates. Since 2019, he has been working as the principal investigator of a Swiss NSF Ambizione Fellowship.
Nick Huggett studied Physics and Philosophy at Oxford, then completed his PhD in Philosophy at Rutgers in 1995. He has worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago since 1996. His work principally deals with philosophical issues arising in quantum field theory, spacetime physics, and their intersection, in recent years focussing on quantum gravity, and especially string theory. Since 2010 he has co-directed the Beyond Spacetime project with Christian Wuethrich, with support from NSF, ACLS, FQXi, and the John Templeton Foundation.
After a Ph.D. on the metaphysics of time at the University of Rennes completed in 2015, Baptiste Le Bihan has been a postdoctoral researcher in the project 'Space and Time after Quantum Gravity' (University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Geneva) (2016-2018) and a research associate in the project 'To and Fro: Scientific Metaphysics at Physics's Frontiers' in Geneva (2018-2019). He works primarily on the philosophy of space, time, and quantum gravity with a focus on ontological debates. Since 2019, he has been working as the principal investigator of a Swiss NSF Ambizione Fellowship.
Nick Huggett studied Physics and Philosophy at Oxford, then completed his PhD in Philosophy at Rutgers in 1995. He has worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago since 1996. His work principally deals with philosophical issues arising in quantum field theory, spacetime physics, and their intersection, in recent years focussing on quantum gravity, and especially string theory. Since 2010 he has co-directed the Beyond Spacetime project with Christian Wuethrich, with support from NSF, ACLS, FQXi, and the John Templeton Foundation.
Content
1: Christian Wuethrich, Baptiste Le Bihan and Nick Huggett: Introduction
2: Daniele Oriti: Levels of spacetime emergence in quantum gravity
3: Jeremy Butterfield: On dualities and equivalences between physical theories
4: Alyssa Ney: From quantum entanglement to spatiotemporal distance
5: Tushar Menon: Taking up superspace: The spacetime setting for supersymmetric field theory
6: David Yates: Thinking about spacetime
7: David J. Chalmers: Finding space in a non-spatial world
8: Alastair Wilson: Explanations of and in time
9: Jenann Ismael: Do you see space? How to recover the visible and tangible reality of space (without space)
10: Richard Healey: The measurement problem for emergent spacetime in loop quantum gravity
11: Kerry McKenzie: The `philosopher's stone': Physics, metaphysics, and the value of a final theory
12: Adam Koberinski: Problems with the cosmological constant problem
2: Daniele Oriti: Levels of spacetime emergence in quantum gravity
3: Jeremy Butterfield: On dualities and equivalences between physical theories
4: Alyssa Ney: From quantum entanglement to spatiotemporal distance
5: Tushar Menon: Taking up superspace: The spacetime setting for supersymmetric field theory
6: David Yates: Thinking about spacetime
7: David J. Chalmers: Finding space in a non-spatial world
8: Alastair Wilson: Explanations of and in time
9: Jenann Ismael: Do you see space? How to recover the visible and tangible reality of space (without space)
10: Richard Healey: The measurement problem for emergent spacetime in loop quantum gravity
11: Kerry McKenzie: The `philosopher's stone': Physics, metaphysics, and the value of a final theory
12: Adam Koberinski: Problems with the cosmological constant problem