Minkowski space-time: a glorious non-entity
物理学史与哲学
2007-05-23 v1
摘要
Einstein distinguished between ``principle'' and ``constructive'' theories in physics, and although he thought the latter were more explanatory than the former, he regarded his 1905 formulation of special relativity theory as a principle theory. Some have claimed that Minkowski space-time can serve as the deep structure within a constructive reformulation of special relativity. We criticise this claim, and argue that a satisfactory constructive version of special relativity must involve a dynamical treatment of the forces holding together the constitutive parts of moving rods and clocks.
引用
@article{arxiv.physics/0403088,
title = {Minkowski space-time: a glorious non-entity},
author = {Harvey R. Brown and Oliver Pooley},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0403088},
year = {2007}
}
备注
18 pages, written for Petkov (ed.), The Ontology of Spacetime (in preparation)