Is prediction possible in general relativity?

被引:5
作者
Manchak, John Byron [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Calif Irvine, Dept Log & Philosophy Sci, Irvine, CA 92617 USA
关键词
prediction; determinism; general relativity; epistemology;
D O I
10.1007/s10701-008-9204-6
中图分类号
O4 [物理学];
学科分类号
0702 ;
摘要
Here we briefly review the concept of "prediction" within the context of classical relativity theory. We prove a theorem asserting that one may predict one's own future only in a closed universe. We then question whether prediction is possible at all (even in closed universes). We note that interest in prediction has stemmed from considering the epistemological predicament of the observer. We argue that the definitions of prediction found thus far in the literature do not fully appreciate this predicament. We propose a more adequate alternative and show that, under this definition, prediction is essentially impossible in general relativity.
引用
收藏
页码:317 / 321
页数:5
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