Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface to the first edition
- 1 Preliminaries
- 2 McTaggart on time's unreality
- 3 The Block universe
- 4 Asymmetries within time
- 5 Tensed time
- 6 Dynamic time
- 7 Time and consciousness
- 8 Time travel
- 9 Conceptions of void
- 10 Space: the classical debate
- 11 Absolute motion
- 12 Motion in spacetime
- 13 Curved space
- 14 Tangible space
- 15 Spatial anti-realism
- 16 Zeno and the continuum I
- 17 Zeno and the continuum II
- 18 Special relativity
- 19 Relativity and reality
- 20 General relativity
- 21 Spacetime metaphysics
- 22 Strings
- Notes
- Glossary
- Web resources
- Bibliography
- Index
18 - Special relativity
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface to the first edition
- 1 Preliminaries
- 2 McTaggart on time's unreality
- 3 The Block universe
- 4 Asymmetries within time
- 5 Tensed time
- 6 Dynamic time
- 7 Time and consciousness
- 8 Time travel
- 9 Conceptions of void
- 10 Space: the classical debate
- 11 Absolute motion
- 12 Motion in spacetime
- 13 Curved space
- 14 Tangible space
- 15 Spatial anti-realism
- 16 Zeno and the continuum I
- 17 Zeno and the continuum II
- 18 Special relativity
- 19 Relativity and reality
- 20 General relativity
- 21 Spacetime metaphysics
- 22 Strings
- Notes
- Glossary
- Web resources
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Time, space and Einstein
Our investigations up to this point have not been in vain – they have certainly led us to a deeper understanding of the complexities of the issues we are concerned with – but they have also been inconclusive. Very different accounts of the large-scale structure of time seem both metaphysically viable and compatible with the character of our everyday experience. Space has proved an equally stubborn topic. Substantivalism may be ahead on points in certain respects, but there have been few clear-cut victories. But for those looking for definite answers all is not yet lost. We have yet to consider the impact of more recent scientific developments, and some believe that answers to the questions we have been considering can be found here. Of course, these answers will only concern the space and time of our world, rather than space and time in general, but being so restricted would scarcely reduce their interest.
However, although contemporary science has a great deal to teach us, anyone looking for definitive answers to our questions will be disappointed. Our current best theory of the very small – quantum theory – and our current best theory of the very large – Einstein's general theory of relativity (gtr) – have yet to be reconciled, and there is no consensus among the physicists working in these areas as to what the overall character of theory that synthesizes the two, “quantum gravity”, will be.
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- Information
- Time and Space , pp. 313 - 327Publisher: Acumen PublishingPrint publication year: 2010