Robinson's Podcast 23 - David Albert & Justin Clarke-Doane: Absolute Space & Physicalism vs. Ethics
Oct 10, 2022
David Albert, a renowned philosopher of physics, joins Justin Clarke-Doane, an expert on the link between mathematics and ethics, for a spirited discussion. They tackle the complex debate between absolute and relative space in physics, and how it intersects with moral philosophy. The duo explores expressivism in ethics, questioning if moral statements hold objective truth. Diving into physicalism and supervenience, they challenge the notion that everything can be reduced to physical facts while considering the implications for ethics and reality itself.
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Absolute vs Relative Space Debate
- The debate between absolute and relative space questions if positions or only relative distances between objects matter.
- Newton argued absolute space explains phenomena like rotation better than purely relational views.
Relativity Challenges Space Concepts
- Relativity complicates the absolute vs relative space debate since interparticle distances are observer-dependent.
- This introduces new challenges in defining spatial facts in modern physics contexts.
Physicalism and Ethics Skepticism
- Physicalism may lead to skepticism about ethical facts, as such facts don't clearly align with physical ontology.
- Ethical claims might be better understood as expressivist, conveying attitudes rather than factual truths.
