The Multiverse: a Philosophical Introduction
2025/05/29 by Jeremy Butterfield, Butterfield, Jeremy · 5 voices
#physics.hist-ph #gr-qc #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2505.23639
Abstract
This book is a philosopher's introduction to the idea that our universe is just one of many universes. I present and assess three versions of the idea: one version from philosophy, and two from physics. In short, they are: all the logically possible worlds; all the branches of the quantum state, in an Everettian interpretation of quantum theory; and all the bubbles of inflationary cosmology. For each proposal, I choose one main philosophical question to discuss in depth. They are, respectively: what is a possible world; what is chance; and what is explanation. But before treating these proposals and their associated questions, I set the stage by reviewing physics and philosophy from about 1600 to about 1900; and a final Chapter compares and contrasts the proposals.
Discussions
- Every book / paper should start like this... "I write these words, believing that I have always lived in one world: and that it is the same world in which my family, friends, historical figures, all h [bsky, 43 points, 3 comments]
- [Book] The Multiverse: a Philosophical Introduction Jeremy Butterfield arxiv.org/abs/2505.23639 [bsky, 10 points, 0 comments]
- The Multiverse: a Philosophical Introduction by Jeremy Butterfield arxiv.org/pdf/2505.23639 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- After about two decades of friendship, I now realize that there's a "Nicholas" between "Jeremy" and "Butterfield." arxiv.org/abs/2505.23639 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- In short, they are: all the logically possible worlds; all the branches of the quantum state, in an Everettian interpretation of quantum theory; and all the bubbles of inflationary cosmology. For each [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]
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