Philosophy of Physics Seminar (Thursday - Week 7, MT22)

Abstract: We first review the philosophical discussion of the hole argument for general relativity. Then we extend the discussion by proposing a framework for making comparisons of non-isomorphic spacetimes, i.e. models or solutions of the theory. This framework combines two powerful ideas, one physical and one philosophical. Namely: (i) the idea of a fibre bundle whose fibres are isomorphic copies of a given model, and (ii) David Lewis' counterpart theoretic account of "trans-world identification".

Based on joint work with Jeremy Butterfield.