Greetings all,
This Monday, June 8 is the Queen's birthday, and thus, in due
deference to the monarchy there will be no current projects paper. The
following week, June 15, we have David Miller (the centre for time)
who will present "Let's be constructive about space and time". Further
details closer to the 15th.
Abstract:
The concepts of space and time have been important in both philosophy
and physics. In physics the main theory about space and time is the
theory of relativity (TR). Unusually for a physics theory, TR was
proposed by Einstein as a ?principle theory?, i.e. deduced from quite
general postulates or principles. Some people have always argued that
TR should be a ?constructive theory?, i.e. deduced from specific laws
of physics, like (almost) all other areas of physics. The latter view
has been advocated in the recent book by Harvey Brown and is opposed
by Michael Janssen and others. In this talk, I want explore the
constructive approach to TR and ask whether there are any consequences
for our concepts of space and time. I will suggest that the
constructive approach to TR supports the view that that rulers and
clocks can function and be understood without the need for a space and
a time to be sitting there waiting to be measured by them, i.e. it
suggests a non-substantival view of space and time.
Dr. Kristie Miller
University of Sydney Research Fellow
School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry and
The Centre for Time
The University of Sydney
Sydney Australia
Room 411, A 18
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ph: 02 93569663
http://homepage.mac.com/centre.for.time/KristieMiller/Kristie/Home_Page.html
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