What's so spatial about time anyway?

Journal article


Baron, Sam and Evans, Peter W.. (2021). What's so spatial about time anyway? The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. 72(1), pp. 159-183. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axy077
AuthorsBaron, Sam and Evans, Peter W.
Abstract

Skow ([2007]), and much more recently Callender ([2017]), argue that time can be distinguished from space due to the special role it plays in our laws of nature: our laws determine the behaviour of physical systems across time, but not across space. In this work we assess the claim that the laws of nature might provide the basis for distinguishing time from space. We find that there is an obvious reason to be sceptical of the argument Skow submits for distinguishing time from space: Skow fails to pay sufficient attention to the relationship between the dynamical laws and the antecedent conditions required to establish a complete solution from the laws. Callender’s more sophisticated arguments in favour of distinguishing time from space by virtue of the laws of nature presents a much stronger basis to draw the distinction. By developing a radical reading of Callender’s view we propose a novel approach to differentiating time and space that we call temporal perspectivalism. This is the view according to which the difference between time and space is a function of the agentive perspective.

Year2021
JournalThe British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
Journal citation72 (1), pp. 159-183
PublisherOxford University Press
ISSN0007-0882
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axy077
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range159-183
FunderAustralian Research Council (ARC)
Publisher's version
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All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online24 Dec 2019
Publication process dates
Deposited05 Aug 2021
ARC Funded ResearchThis output has been funded, wholly or partially, under the Australian Research Council Act 2001
Grant IDARC/DE180100414
ARC/DP180100105
ARC/DE170100808
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