HPSC4101 - Space, Time and Spacetime (Philosophy of Physics)
* A more general Introduction to Philosophy of Science will be offered as well. Please consult the Unit for details.
Semester 1
Lecturer: Dr Dean Rickles
Prerequisites: Available only to students admitted to HPS Honours, Graduate Diploma in Science (History and Philosophy of Science) and Graduate Certificate in Science (History and Philosophy of Science)
6 credit points
1x 2-hour seminar per week (see timetable)
Assessment: Presentation, paper
Space, time and spacetime
What kind of thing is spacetime? Is it a thing in its own right, or is it in some sense dependent on matter? Do space and time even exist at all? Are the infinitely divisible or discrete? Does time flow or is the universe laid out in a predetermined ‘block’? Is there change in the world, or is the appearance of change simply an illusion? Is time travel possible? How, if at all, can we come to know the structure of spacetime? In this course we investigate these questions and more by focusing on some key historical episodes and issues in the physics of space, time, and spacetime, from Zeno to Aristotle to Descartes to Newton to Einstein and beyond, to quantum gravity. Necessary mathematics and physics will be introduced as the theories and their philosophical issues are presented.
By the end of this unit of study you should:
- have a good grip on the historical development of spacetime theories
- grasp the mathematical details underpinning spacetime theories
- understand the development of contemporary positions in the philosophy of spacetime (and philosophy of physics in general)
- be prepared for future research in philosophy of physics and philosophy of science more generally
- be able to present and defend an academic talk
- be able to write a large scale research essay