Single Idea 14937

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / B. Modern Physics / 4. Standard Model / a. Concept of matter]

Full Idea

It is a metaphysical residue of obsolete physics to suppose that the universe is 'made of' anything.

Gist of Idea

That the universe must be 'made of' something is just obsolete physics

Source

J Ladyman / D Ross (Every Thing Must Go [2007], 3.7.2)

Book Reference

Ladyman,J/Ross,D: 'Every Thing Must Go' [OUP 2007], p.172


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?

Related Ideas

Idea 14924 If spacetime is substantial, what is the substance? [Ladyman/Ross]

Idea 17450 Understanding 'just as many' needn't involve grasping one-one correspondence [Heck]