Being, Becoming and the Undivided Universe: A Dialogue between Relational Blockworld and the Implicate Order Concerning the Unification of Relativity and Quantum Theory

TL;DR

This paper compares two monistic approaches, Relational Blockworld and the implicate order, to unify quantum theory and relativity by deriving matter and spacetime geometry simultaneously from fundamental principles.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of RBW and Hiley's implicate order, highlighting their different foundational assumptions and potential to address quantum gravity issues.

Findings

RBW derives spacetime and matter via path integrals over graphs.

Hiley's implicate order uses Clifford algebras and process-based monism.

Both approaches aim for background independence and unification of physics.

Abstract

In this paper two different approaches to unification will be compared, Relational Blockworld (RBW) and Hiley's implicate order. Both approaches are monistic in that they attempt to derive matter and spacetime geometry 'at once' in an interdependent and background independent fashion from something underneath both quantum theory and relativity. Hiley's monism resides in the implicate order via Clifford algebras and is based on process as fundamental while RBW's monism resides in spacetimematter via path integrals over graphs whereby space, time and matter are co-constructed per a global constraint equation. RBW's monism therefore resides in being (relational blockworld) while that of Hiley's resides in becoming (elementary processes). Regarding the derivation of quantum theory and relativity, the promises and pitfalls of both approaches will be elaborated. Finally, special attention will be paid as to how Hiley's process account might avoid the blockworld implications of relativity and the frozen time problem of canonical quantum gravity.