Posted: Oct 10, 2012 9:57 am
I'm just wondering what the generally accepted status of Minkowski spacetime is, as represented by the "block universe" concept, within the field of physics?
From discussing the idea with some people they make it seem like it's the block universe or nothing, but some people regard it simply as a philosophical idea and treat it as almost non-scientific. While it seems to be a philosophical concept, it also gets painted as a necessary consequence of Einsteinian relativity, such that, if Einsteinian relativity is correct then, by extension, some variation of the block universe is a necessary consequence. The impression that seems to be given is that if the mathematics of relativity represents the physical universe, then the the physical embodiment of the mathematics comes in the form of the block universe, or some variation on it, for example the growing block theory.
Given that Einsteinian relativity has the concept of relativity of simultaneity as a necessary component, it would seem that some variation of the block universe is a necessary consequence, although the size of the block, in terms of the timespan, is not necessarily defined.
I'm just wondering how Minkowski spacetime, as represented by the block universe, is generally viewed in the field of phyiscs; by physicists, philosophers of science, or whoever?
From discussing the idea with some people they make it seem like it's the block universe or nothing, but some people regard it simply as a philosophical idea and treat it as almost non-scientific. While it seems to be a philosophical concept, it also gets painted as a necessary consequence of Einsteinian relativity, such that, if Einsteinian relativity is correct then, by extension, some variation of the block universe is a necessary consequence. The impression that seems to be given is that if the mathematics of relativity represents the physical universe, then the the physical embodiment of the mathematics comes in the form of the block universe, or some variation on it, for example the growing block theory.
Given that Einsteinian relativity has the concept of relativity of simultaneity as a necessary component, it would seem that some variation of the block universe is a necessary consequence, although the size of the block, in terms of the timespan, is not necessarily defined.
I'm just wondering how Minkowski spacetime, as represented by the block universe, is generally viewed in the field of phyiscs; by physicists, philosophers of science, or whoever?