Video URL

https://pirsa.org/14120012

On the 'Dynamical Approach' to spacetime structure

Hoefer, C. (2014). On the 'Dynamical Approach' to spacetime structure. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. https://pirsa.org/14120012

Hoefer, Carl. On the 'Dynamical Approach' to spacetime structure. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Dec. 03, 2014, https://pirsa.org/14120012 

          @misc{ scivideos_PIRSA:14120012,
            doi = {10.48660/14120012},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/14120012},
            author = {Hoefer, Carl},
            keywords = {Quantum Matter},
            language = {en},
            title = {On the {\textquoteright}Dynamical Approach{\textquoteright} to spacetime structure},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics},
            year = {2014},
            month = {dec},
            note = {PIRSA:14120012 see, \url{https://scivideos.org/pirsa/14120012}}
          }

Carl Hoefer Western University

DOI 10.48660/14120012
Source Repository PIRSA
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

In (relatively) recent years some philosophers of physics have developed and advocated a new view about how to understand spatiotemporal structures posited in theories such as classical mechanics, relativistic theories and GR; it is called the 'dynamical approach' to spacetime (H. Brown 2005, Physical Relativity).  The dynamical approach (DA) holds that spacetime structure should not be thought of as conceptually prior to the laws of nature, or as constraining the forms that the laws may have. Instead, the DA approach says that the laws of nature are prior, and spacetime structures are no more than a reflection, or codification, of facts (especially symmetry facts) about the dynamical laws in our world. In my talk I will explore the motivations and arguments given in support of the dynamical approach, and raise doubts about whether they are coherent and compelling. Although no-one should come away from my talk with a perfect understanding of the nature of spacetime (or even just: spacetime as it appears in classical relativistic theories), I hope that all will come to appreciate the difficulty of deciding what even clear and mathematically well-understood physical theories really tell us about basic aspects of physical reality.