The Necessary Structure of the All-pervading Aether

Peter Forrest

ISBN 10: 3110325179 / ISBN 13: 9783110325171

Published by De Gruyter, DE, 2013

About this Item

In this book I investigate the necessary structure of the aether - the stuff that fills the whole universe. Some of my conclusions are. 1. There is an enormous variety of structures that the aether might, for all we know, have. 2. Probably the aether is point-free. 3. In that case, it should be distinguished from Space-time, which is either a fiction or a construct. 4. Even if the aether has points, we should reject the orthodoxy that all regions are grounded in points by summation. 5. If the aether is point-free but not continuous, its most likely structure has extended atoms that are not simples. 6. Space-time is symmetric if and only if the aether is continuous. 7. If the aether is continuous, we should reject the standard interpretation of General Relativity, in which geometry determines gravity. 8. Contemporary physics undermines an objection to discrete aether based on scale invariance, but does not offer much positive support.

Seller Inventory # LU-9783110325171

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Necessary Structure of the All-pervading Aether
• Publisher: De Gruyter, DE
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3110325179
• ISBN 13: 9783110325171
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

In this book I investigate the necessary structure of the aether – the stuff that fills the whole universe. Some of my conclusions are. 1. There is an enormous variety of structures that the aether might, for all we know, have. 2. Probably the aether is point-free. 3. In that case, it should be distinguished from Space-time, which is either a fiction or a construct. 4. Even if the aether has points, we should reject the orthodoxy that all regions are grounded in points by summation. 5. If the aether is point-free but not continuous, its most likely structure has extended atoms that are not simples. 6. Space-time is symmetric if and only if the aether is continuous. 7. If the aether is continuous, we should reject the standard interpretation of General Relativity, in which geometry determines gravity. 8. Contemporary physics undermines an objection to discrete aether based on scale invariance, but does not offer much positive support.

About the Author

Peter Forrest is adjunct professor of philosophy in the School of Humanities at the University of New England, Armidale. His previous books include The Dynamics of Belief, Quantum Metaphysics, God without the Supernatural, and Developmental Theism.