Three Denials of Time in the Interpretation of Canonical Gravity

Thébault, Karim P. Y. (2012): Three Denials of Time in the Interpretation of Canonical Gravity. In: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Bd. 43, Nr. 4: S. 277-294

Abstract

The analysis of the temporal structure of canonical general relativity and the connected interpretational questions with regard to the role of time within the theory both rest upon the need to respect the fundamentally dual role of the Hamiltonian constraints found within the formalism. Any consistent philosophical approach towards the theory must pay dues to the role of these constrains in both generating dynamics, in the context of phase space, and generating unphysical symmetry transformations, in the context of a hypersurface embedded within a solution. A first denial of time in the context of a position of reductive temporal relationalism can be shown to be troubled by failure on the first count, and second denial in the context Machian temporal relationalism can be found to be hampered by failure on the second. A third denial of time, consistent with both the of the Hamiltonian constraints roles, is constituted by the implementation of a scheme for constructing observables in terms of correlations. The motivation for and implications of each of these three denials are investigated.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Publikationsform: Postprint
• Fakultät: Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft > Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (MCMP) ; Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft > Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (MCMP) > Philosophy of Physics
• Themengebiete: 100 Philosophie und Psychologie > 100 Philosophie
• ISSN: 1355-2198;1879-2502
• Sprache: Englisch