Department of Philosophy, University of Verona, Italy.
Stud Hist Philos Sci. 2021 Apr;86:68-83. doi: 10.1016/j.shpsa.2021.02.003. Epub 2021 Feb 23.
Many consider the apparent disappearance of time and change in quantum gravity the main metaphysical challenge since it seems to lead to a form of Parmenidean view according to which the physical world simply is, nothing changes, moves, becomes, happens. In this paper, I argue that the main metaphysical challenge of Rovelli's philosophical view of loop quantum gravity is to lead exactly to the opposite view, namely, a form of Heraclitean view, or rather, of radical process metaphysics according to which there is becoming (process, change, event) but not being (substance, stasis, thing). However, this does not entail that time is real. Fundamentally, time does not exist. I show how Rovelli's understanding of loop quantum gravity supports the view that there is change without time, so that the physical world can be timeless yet ever-changing. I conclude by arguing that it is such a process-oriented conception that constitutes the revolutionary metaphysical challenge and philosophical significance of loop quantum gravity, while the alleged Parmenidean view turns out to be nothing but the endpoint of a long-standing metaphysical orthodoxy.
许多人认为，量子引力中时间和变化的明显消失是主要的形而上学挑战，因为它似乎导致了一种巴门尼德式的观点，即物理世界只是存在，没有任何变化、运动、成为或发生。在本文中，我认为，罗韦利的循环量子引力哲学观点的主要形而上学挑战是恰恰导致相反的观点，即一种赫拉克利特式的观点，或者更确切地说，是一种激进的过程形而上学的观点，根据这种观点，有生成（过程、变化、事件），但没有存在（实体、静止、事物）。然而，这并不意味着时间是真实的。从根本上说，时间并不存在。我展示了罗韦利对循环量子引力的理解如何支持这样一种观点，即没有时间的变化，因此物理世界可以是无时间的，但却在不断变化。最后，我认为，正是这种面向过程的概念构成了循环量子引力的革命性形而上学挑战和哲学意义，而所谓的巴门尼德式观点只不过是长期以来形而上学正统观念的终点。
