Against ‘functional gravitational energy’: a critical note on functionalism, selective realism, and geometric objects and gravitational energy

Autor: Patrick M. Duerr
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: Synthese. 199:299-333
ISSN: 1573-0964
0039-7857
Popis: The present paper revisits the debate between realists about gravitational energy in GR (who opine that gravitational energy can be said to meaningfully exist in GR) and anti-realists/eliminativists (who deny this). I re-assess the arguments underpinning Hoefer’s seminal eliminativist stance, and those of their realist detractors’ responses. A more circumspect reading of the former is proffered that discloses where the so far not fully appreciated, real challenges lie for realism about gravitational energy. I subsequently turn to Lam and Read’s recent proposals for such a realism. Their arguments are critically examined. Special attention is devoted to the adequacy of Read’s appeals to functionalism, imported from the philosophy of mind.
Databáze: OpenAIRE