Is Structural Spacetime Realism Relationism in disguise?

Mauro Dorato (Department of Philosophy, University of Rome 3)


In this paper I discuss recent proposals aimed at implementing a type of structural realism about spacetime in the general theory of relativity. With respect to classical GR, the paper tries to establish whether spacetime structural realism really constitutes a tertium quid between traditional substantivalism and relationism. In particular, the status of points is discussed by considering the Hamiltonian formulation of GR, and possible developments of structuralism in quantum gravity is discussed by discussing recent contribution by John Stachel. (see French and Rickles, OUP, forthcoming)