Scientific article
OA Policy
English

Trouble on the Horizon for Presentism

Published inPhilosophers' imprint, vol. 23, no. 2
First online date2023-07-25
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
Citation (ISO format)
BARON, Sam, LE BIHAN, Baptiste. Trouble on the Horizon for Presentism. In: Philosophers” imprint, 2023, vol. 23, n° 2. doi: 10.3998/phimp.823
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Article (Published version)
Identifiers
Journal ISSN1533-628X
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164downloads

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