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Trouble on the horizon for presentism
Baron, Samuel Bihan, Baptiste Le
Baron, Samuel
Bihan, Baptiste Le
Author
Abstract
Surface presentism is the combination of a general relativistic physics with a presentist metaphysics. In this paper, we provide an argument against this combination based on black holes. The problem focuses on the notion of an event horizon. We argue that the present locations of event horizons are ontologically dependent on future black hole regions, and that this dependence is incompatible with presentism. We consider five responses to the problem available to the surface presentist, and argue that none succeed. Surface presentism thus faces the prospect of empirical refutation based on the evidence available for the existence of black holes.
Keywords
Presentism, Ontological Dependence, Physics, Time, Black Holes
Date
2023
Type
Journal article
Journal
Book
Volume
23
Issue
1
Page Range
1-19
Article Number
ACU Department
Dianoia Institute of Philosophy
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Collections
Relation URI
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
File Access
Open
Notes
© 2023, Sam Baron and Baptiste Le Bihan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License