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  1. Malament–Hogarth Machines.J. B. Manchak - 2020 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 71 (3):1143-1153.
    This article shows a clear sense in which general relativity allows for a type of ‘machine’ that can bring about a spacetime structure suitable for the implementation of ‘supertasks’. 1Introduction2Preliminaries3Malament–Hogarth Spacetimes4Machines5Malament–Hogarth Machines6Conclusion.
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  • Would two dimensions be world enough for spacetime?Samuel C. Fletcher, J. B. Manchak, Mike D. Schneider & James Owen Weatherall - 2018 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 63:100-113.
    We consider various curious features of general relativity, and relativistic field theory, in two spacetime dimensions. In particular, we discuss: the vanishing of the Einstein tensor; the failure of an initial-value formulation for vacuum spacetimes; the status of singularity theorems; the non-existence of a Newtonian limit; the status of the cosmological constant; and the character of matter fields, including perfect fluids and electromagnetic fields. We conclude with a discussion of what constrains our understanding of physics in different dimensions.
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  • Some “No Hole” Spacetime Properties are Unstable.J. B. Manchak - 2018 - Foundations of Physics 48 (11):1539-1545.
    We show a sense in which the spacetime property of effective completeness—a type of “local hole-freeness” or “local inextendibility”—is not stable.
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  • Careful with those scissors, Eugene! Against the observational indistinguishability of spacetimes.Enrico Cinti & Vincenzo Fano - 2021 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 89 (C):103-113.
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  • Relativistic spacetimes and definitions of determinism.Juliusz Doboszewski - 2019 - European Journal for Philosophy of Science 9 (2):1-14.
    I discuss candidates for definitions of determinism in the context of general relativistic spacetimes, and argue that a definition which does not make recourse to any particular region of spacetime should be preferred over alternatives; one such notion is discussed in detail in the light of various physical examples. The emerging picture of determinism is a pluralist one: sometimes there is no unique way of making our intuitive concept of determinism precise. Instead, what is crucial for assessment of determinism of (...)
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  • Epistemic “Holes” in Space-Time.John Byron Manchak - 2016 - Philosophy of Science 83 (2):265-276.
    A number of models of general relativity seem to contain “holes” that are thought to be “physically unreasonable.” One seeks a condition to rule out these models. We examine a number of possibilities already in use. We then introduce a new condition: epistemic hole-freeness. Epistemic hole-freeness is not just a new condition—it is new in kind. In particular, it does not presuppose a distinction between space-times that are “physically reasonable” and those that are not.
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  • Heraclitus-Maximal Worlds.J. B. Manchak & Thomas William Barrett - 2024 - Journal of Philosophical Logic 53 (6):1519-1536.
    Within the context of general relativity, the Heraclitus asymmetry property requires that no distinct pair of spacetime events have the same local structure Manchak and Barrett (2023). Here, we explore Heraclitus-maximal worlds – those which are “as large as they can be” with respect to the Heraclitus property. Using Zorn’s lemma, we prove that such worlds exist and highlight a number of their properties. If attention is restricted to Heraclitus-maximal worlds, we show senses in which observers have the epistemic resources (...)
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  • Time machines.John Byron Manchak - 2014 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 48 (2):124-127.
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  • A remark on ‘time machines’ in honor of Howard Stein.J. B. Manchak - 2019 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 67:111-116.
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  • Reductive Explanation and the Construction of Quantum Theories.Benjamin H. Feintzeig - 2022 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 73 (2):457-486.
    I argue that philosophical issues concerning reductive explanations help constrain the construction of quantum theories with appropriate state spaces. I illustrate this general proposal with two examples of restricting attention to physical states in quantum theories: regular states and symmetry-invariant states. 1Introduction2Background2.1 Physical states2.2 Reductive explanations3The Proposed ‘Correspondence Principle’4Example: Regularity5Example: Symmetry-Invariance6Conclusion: Heuristics and Discovery.
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  • General Relativity as a Collection of Collections of Models.J. B. Manchak - 2021 - In Judit Madarász & Gergely Székely (eds.), Hajnal Andréka and István Németi on Unity of Science: From Computing to Relativity Theory Through Algebraic Logic. Springer. pp. 409-425.
    One usually identifies a particular collection of geometric objects with the models of general relativity. But within this standard collection lurk ‘physically unreasonable’ models of spacetime. If such models are ruled out, attention can be restricted to some sub-collection of ‘physically reasonable’ models which can be considered a variant theory of general relativity. Since we have yet to identify a privileged sub-collection of ‘physically reasonable’ models, it is helpful to think of ‘general relativity’ in a pluralistic way; we can study (...)
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  • If Metrical Structure Were Not Dynamical, Counterfactuals in General Relativity Would Be Easy.Erik Curiel - unknown
    General relativity poses serious problems for counterfactual propositions peculiar to it as a physical theory. Because these problems arise solely from the dynamical nature of spacetime geometry, they are shared by all schools of thought on how counterfactuals should be interpreted and understood. Given the role of counterfactuals in the characterization of, inter alia, many accounts of scientific laws, theory confirmation and causation, general relativity once again presents us with idiosyncratic puzzles any attempt to analyze and understand the nature of (...)
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  • Some Other “No Hole” Spacetimes Properties Are Unstable Too.Juliusz Doboszewski - 2020 - Foundations of Physics 50 (5):379-384.
    Two interesting “no hole” spacetime properties, not being future nakedly singular) are unstable in the fine topology.
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  • (1 other version)Singularities and Black holes.Erik Curiel - 2010 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
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  • (1 other version)Time machines.John Earman - 2008 - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
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