Singular spacetimes and physical holism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35588/cc.v7d8357Keywords:
physical holism, spacetime singularities, general relativity, supervenience, incompleteness of curves, spacetime maximalityAbstract
This paper examines the holistic status of singular spacetimes in general relativity based on the physical holism proposed by Richard Healey (1991). It is shown that the standard characterization of singularities in terms of the incompleteness of curves reveals a tension between the local and global structure of spacetime. In the general domain of the theory's dynamically possible models, it is argued that the property of incompleteness does not supervene on the local base of physical properties and relations, which constitutes a genuine case of property holism in Healey's sense. However, by restricting the analysis to the domain of maximal spacetimes, the application of Healey-style holism is restricted for geometric reasons. It is maintained, nonetheless, that these singularities exhibit a distinct form of holism of a structural-epistemic nature, associated with the impossibility of locally reconstructing their global status.
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2026-10-31Published
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