Lee, Barry Here Goes Nothing. European Journal of Analytic Philosophy. ISSN 1845-8475 (In Press)
Abstract
Subtraction arguments (SAs) support the view that there might have been nothing. The best-developed SA to date, due to David Efird and Tom Stoneham, is claimed by its authors to entail that there are worlds in which there are space-time points but no concrete objects: Efird and Stoneham hold that space-time points are not concrete and that a world made up from them alone contains nothing concrete. In this paper it is argued that whole space-times are concrete and subtractable, so that a subtraction argument commits us to a bolder conclusion: namely, that there are worlds in which there is no space-time (and nothing else concrete). This result has far-reaching consequences: it supports the view that there might have been no time; and constrains accounts of possible worlds. In the course of developing this revised subtraction argument, I counter suggestions (made by Ross Cameron, amongst others) that SAs are question-begging.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | Requested publisher permission 16/12/2016 |
Keywords: | subtraction argument, metaphysical nihilism, material objects, concrete objects, space-time, possible worlds, empty world |
Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (York) > Philosophy (York) |
Depositing User: | Dr Barry J Lee |
Date Deposited: | 22 Aug 2018 14:01 |
Last Modified: | 22 Aug 2018 14:01 |
Status: | In Press |
Publisher: | University of Rijeka |
Refereed: | Yes |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:109365 |
Download
Filename: Subtraction Arguments 20161210 FINALFINAL.docx
