Spacetime functionalism from a realist perspective

Lam, Vincent; Wüthrich, Christian (2020). Spacetime functionalism from a realist perspective. Synthese, 199(S2), pp. 335-353. Springer Netherlands 10.1007/s11229-020-02642-y

Preview	Text LamWuthrich2020Synthese_final_archive.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (277kB) | Preview
Preview	Text Lam-W_thrich2020_Article_SpacetimeFunctionalismFromARea.pdf - Published Version Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (330kB) | Preview

In prior work, we have argued that spacetime functionalism provides tools for clarifying the conceptual difficulties specifically linked to the emergence of spacetime in certain approaches to quantum gravity. We argue in this article that spacetime functionalism in quantum gravity is radically different from other functionalist approaches that have been suggested in quantum mechanics and general relativity: in contrast to these latter cases, it does not compete with purely interpretative alternatives, but is rather intertwined with the physical theorizing itself at the level of quantum gravity. Spacetime functionalism allows one to articulate a coherent realist perspective in the context of quantum gravity, and to relate it to a straightforward realist understanding of general relativity.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

187 since deposited on 12 Feb 2021
35 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item