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Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'Concluding Unscientific Postscript' and 'Every Thing Must Go'

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2 ideas

27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 4. Standard Model / a. Concept of matter
In physics, matter is an emergent phenomenon, not part of fundamental ontology [Ladyman/Ross]
     Full Idea: Physics has taught us that matter in the sense of extended stuff is an emergent phenomenon that has no counterpart in fundamental ontology.
     From: J Ladyman / D Ross (Every Thing Must Go [2007], 1.2.3)
     A reaction: They contrast this point with futile debates among philosopher between atomists (partless particles) and gunkists (parts all the way down).
That the universe must be 'made of' something is just obsolete physics [Ladyman/Ross]
     Full Idea: It is a metaphysical residue of obsolete physics to suppose that the universe is 'made of' anything.
     From: J Ladyman / D Ross (Every Thing Must Go [2007], 3.7.2)
     A reaction: They quote Smolin as saying that it is 'processes' which are fundamental. And yet surely there must be something there to undergo a process? Surely we don't have eternal platonic processes?