On the Mathematics and Metaphysics of the Hole Argument

2021/10/08 by Oliver Pooley, Pooley, Oliver, James Read +1 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · Psychology · #Philosophy and Theoretical Science #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Relativity and Gravitational Theory

paper · doi:10.1086/718274

openalex publication_date 2021/11/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We make some remarks on the mathematics and metaphysics of the hole argument, in response to a recent article in this journal by Weatherall ([2018]). Broadly speaking, we defend the mainstream philosophical literature from the claim that correct usage of the mathematics of general relativity 'blocks' the argument.

Citations

• The Metaphysics of Space-Time Substantivalism
• What Price Spacetime Substantivalism? The Hole Story
• On the Existence of Time, Space and Space-Time
• Schematizing the Observer and the Epistemic Content of Theories
• Regarding the ‘Hole Argument’

Cited by

• The Aharonov-Bohm effect: reality and folklore

Discussions

• Pooley & Read (2025), On the Mathematics and Metaphysics of the Hole Argument www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... arxiv.org/pdf/2110.04036 [bsky, 1 points, 1 comments]

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