FOM: real numbers and the real world

Neil Tennant neilt at mercutio.cohums.ohio-state.edu
Tue Nov 14 14:17:12 EST 2000


Robert Black wrote:

> Field does think that the reals (not
> set theoretical cardinals, which to my knowledge have no applications in
> physics) can be isomorphically embedded in the physical world. That's
> straightforward, since he's a realist about physical space (or spacetime)
> and its points and regions. 

Suppose one is a realist about physical space, or spacetime. Does it
follow that one thinks it is continuous? Or might our thinking it
continuous be a symptom of our own idealism? Couldn't space (or spacetime)
turn out, on empirical grounds, to be grainy?

Neil Tennant





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