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On the Paradoxical Time-Structures of Gödel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2022

Howard Stein
Howard Stein*
Affiliation:
Case Western Reserve University
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Abstract

Gödel's conclusion that time-travel is possible in his models of Einstein's gravitational theory has been questioned by Chandrasekhar and Wright, and treated as doubtful in the recent philosophical literature. The present note is intended to remove this doubt: a review of Gödel's construction shows that his arguments are entirely correct; and the objection is seen to rest upon a misunderstanding. Computational points treated succinctly by Gödel are here presented in fuller detail. The philosophical significance of Gödel's results is briefly considered, and a set of technical questions is posed whose answers would clarify this significance.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 37 , Issue 4 , December 1970 , pp. 589 - 601
Copyright
Copyright © 1970 by The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

*

Work supported by the National Science Foundation.

References

REFERENCES

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