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    Earman, Smeenk, and Wüthrich's own analysis shows no loca... — Carmelics
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    Supports→The requirement that causal curves with a future endpoint in the time travel region and no past endpoint must intersect Σ₀ is too strong, because it rules out Thornian time machines altogether.

    Earman, Smeenk, and Wüthrich's own analysis shows no locally constructed time machine can satisfy this intersection condition without begging the question against wormhole topologies.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
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    • 1.Local construction methods cannot impose global topological constraints without assuming the spacetime topology they aim to prove.
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    • 2.The intersection condition requires consistency across entire wormhole geometries, which local procedures cannot verify independently.
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    • 3.Earman et al. demonstrate that avoiding circularity demands topology-neutral initial conditions, which local construction violates.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against
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    • 1.The claim conflates epistemological limits of local construction with metaphysical impossibility for time machines generally.
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    • 2.Global consistency might be achievable through non-local constraints that don't presuppose specific topologies, refuting the begging-the-question charge.
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    • 3.Earman et al. may only establish that *one particular approach* to construction is circular, not that all approaches necessarily are.
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    Key Terms

    Earman, Smeenk, and Wüthrich(as names of contemporary philosophers)
    Three philosophers of physics who work together on questions about time, relativity, and causality in physics. They're known for analyzing complex scenarios in Einstein's theory of relativity.
    Intersection condition(as used in geometry and physics)
    A mathematical requirement that certain paths or surfaces must meet or overlap at a specific point in space and time.
    Locally constructed time machine(as used in physics and metaphysics)
    A theoretical time machine that you could build in a small, contained region of space without needing to control the entire universe.
    Wormhole topologies(as used in general relativity and physics)
    Different possible shapes and structures of theoretical tunnels through space-time that could connect distant points in the universe; 'topology' refers to the overall shape or structure.
    begging the question(Listed alongside equivocation as an example of a fallacy that highlights important issues in real-life arguing)
    A fallacy also known as circular reasoning

    Connections

    2 topics

    Causation1 linkedModality & Possibility1 linked

    Related

    Earman et al. demonstrate that avoiding circularity demands topology-neutral ini...Earman et al. may only establish that *one particular approach* to construction ...Global consistency might be achievable through non-local constraints that don't ...Local construction methods cannot impose global topological constraints without ...
    +3 moreShow less
    The claim conflates epistemological limits of local construction with metaphysic...The intersection condition requires consistency across entire wormhole geometrie...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit
    The requirement that causal curves with a future endpoint in the time travel reg...