Belnap, Müller, and Placek defend a novel theory of branching space-times in this mathematically rigorous, engaging monograph at the intersection of metaphysics, philosophy of time, and modern physics.
L. B. McHenry, CHOICE
This monograph presents the first detailed exposition of the formal theory of Branching Space-Times. The theory presented here by Nuel Belnap, Thomas Muller, and Tomasz Placek describes how real possibilities can play out in our spatio-temporal world. In our world, some things that are really possible in Cleveland are not really possible in San Francisco; other things were really possible in 1988 but are not really possible in 2021. The authors develop a rigorous, relativity-friendly theory of indeterminism as a local and modal concept, demonstrating that our world contains events with alternative possible outcomes.
The book is divided into two parts. The first contains the exposition of the theory, including detailed proofs. The second contains three applications of Branching Space-Times in metaphysics and philosophy of science, focusing on the use of Branching Space-Times to represent pertinent forms of indeterminism in each area. Some specific applications include a formal analysis of modal correlations and of causation and a rigorous theory of objective single-case probabilities, intended to represent degrees of possibility. The authors link their theory to current physics, investigating how local and modal indeterminism relates to issues in the foundations of physics, particularly in quantum non-locality and spatio-temporal relativity. They also relate the theory to philosophy of time, showing how it may be used to explicate the dynamic concept of the past, present, and future based on local indeterminism.
The Branching Space-Times theory has been in development over the past 25 years. This volume provides a much needed first systematic and comprehensive book-length exposition of both the theory and its applications.
This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations.
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Preface
I The Core Theory
1. Introduction
2. The Foundations of Branching Space-Times
3. Two options for the branching of histories
4. Building upon the foundations of Branching Space-Times
5. Modal funny business
6. Causation in terms of causae causantes
7. Probabilities
II Applications
8. Quantum correlations
9. Branching in relativistic space-times
10. A Branching Space-Times perspective on presentism
III Appendix
A. Selected proofs and additional material
B. Answers to selected exercises
Bibliography
Index
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"Belnap, Müller, and Placek defend a novel theory of branching space-times in this mathematically rigorous, engaging monograph at the intersection of metaphysics, philosophy of time, and modern physics." -- L. B. McHenry, CHOICE
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Selling point: First book-length presentation of the theory of Branching Space-Times, provided uniformly and with a didactically motivated structure and streamlined notation
Selling point: Shows how vexing issues of causation, single case probabilities, the philosophy of time, and indeterministic aspects of the foundations of physics can be addressed within the formal framework of Branching Space-Times theory, leading to rigorously established results
Selling point: Includes detailed proofs, motivational stories and diagrams, exercises following each chapter, and advanced work in the appendices, intended to guide readers to grasp the formal concepts and think independently of the issues raised
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Nuel Belnap is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh and member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, specializing in logic, metaphysics, philosophy of science, and theory of action.
Thomas Muller is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Konstanz, Germany and member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, specializing in logic, metaphysics, philosophy of science, and theory of action.
Tomasz Placek is Professor of Philosophy at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, specializing in metaphysics and philosophy of physics.
Les mer
Selling point: First book-length presentation of the theory of Branching Space-Times, provided uniformly and with a didactically motivated structure and streamlined notation
Selling point: Shows how vexing issues of causation, single case probabilities, the philosophy of time, and indeterministic aspects of the foundations of physics can be addressed within the formal framework of Branching Space-Times theory, leading to rigorously established results
Selling point: Includes detailed proofs, motivational stories and diagrams, exercises following each chapter, and advanced work in the appendices, intended to guide readers to grasp the formal concepts and think independently of the issues raised
Les mer
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780190884314
Publisert
2022
Utgiver
Vendor
Oxford University Press Inc
Vekt
794 gr
Høyde
165 mm
Bredde
241 mm
Dybde
38 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
456