Explanations of the genuine openness of the future often appeal to objective indeterminacy. According to the received view, such indeterminacy is indeterminacy of certain future-tensed state of affairs that presently obtain. We shall call this view the weak indeterminate present, to distinguish it from the view we will defend in this paper, which we dub the strong indeterminate present. According to our view, unsettledness of the future is grounded on the present indeterminacy of some present-tensed state of affairs. In order for an indeterminate present-tensed state of affairs to explain the unsettledness of a future-tensed state of affairs, there has to be a connection between the two. We argue that this connection can only be provided if we look at the internal structure of the relevant state of affairs. Finally, we will suggest that the best background theory to explain the connection are the so-called spontaneous collapse models of quantum mechanics.

The indeterminate present and the open future / C. Mariani, G. Torrengo. - In: SYNTHESE. - ISSN 0039-7857. - (2021), pp. 1-22. [Epub ahead of print] [10.1007/s11229-020-02963-y]

The indeterminate present and the open future

G. Torrengo
Ultimo
2021

Abstract

Explanations of the genuine openness of the future often appeal to objective indeterminacy. According to the received view, such indeterminacy is indeterminacy of certain future-tensed state of affairs that presently obtain. We shall call this view the weak indeterminate present, to distinguish it from the view we will defend in this paper, which we dub the strong indeterminate present. According to our view, unsettledness of the future is grounded on the present indeterminacy of some present-tensed state of affairs. In order for an indeterminate present-tensed state of affairs to explain the unsettledness of a future-tensed state of affairs, there has to be a connection between the two. We argue that this connection can only be provided if we look at the internal structure of the relevant state of affairs. Finally, we will suggest that the best background theory to explain the connection are the so-called spontaneous collapse models of quantum mechanics.
Metaphysical indeterminacy; Open future; Quantum mechanics; Spontaneous collapse models
Settore M-FIL/02 - Logica e Filosofia della Scienza
Settore M-FIL/05 - Filosofia e Teoria dei Linguaggi
   Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022 - Dipartimento di FILOSOFIA
   MINISTERO DELL'ISTRUZIONE E DEL MERITO
2021
6-gen-2021
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/858468
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