Historical Parallels between, and Modal Realism underlying Einstein and Everett Relativities

TL;DR

This paper draws historical parallels between Einstein's relativity and Everett's modal realism, arguing that both involve a relativization of absolute concepts and suggesting an extension of modal terminology to better understand quantum mechanics and its implications.

Contribution

It highlights the historical analogy between Einstein's relativity and Everett's modal realism, proposing a new domain called 'absolute elsewhere' and emphasizing the need for extended modal terminology.

Findings

Relativization of absolute terms in physics parallels historical shifts.

Introduction of 'absolute elsewhere' as a new conceptual domain.

Quantum mechanics' modal realism entails a broader extension of modal concepts.

Abstract

A century ago, "past" and "future", previously strictly apart, mixed up and merged. Temporal terminology improved. Today, not actualized quantum states, that is merely "possible" alternatives, objectively "exist" (are real) when they interfere. Again, two previously strictly immiscible realms mix. Now, modal terminology is insufficient. Both times, extreme reactions reach from rejection of the empirical science to mystic holism. This paper shows how progress started with the relativization of previously absolute terms, first through Einstein's relativity and now through Everett's relative state description, which is a modal realism. The historical parallels suggest mere relativization is insufficient. A deformation of domains occurs: The determined past and the dependent future were restricted to smaller regions of space-time. This light cone description is superior to hyperspace foliations and already entails the modal realism of quantum mechanics. Moreover, an entirely new region, namely the "absolute elsewhere" was identified. The historical precedent suggests that modal terminology may need a similar extension. Discussing the modal realistic connection underlying both relativities, Popper's proof of future indeterminism is turned to shatter the past already into many worlds/minds, thus Everett relativity is merely the Bell inequality violating correlation between possible empirical records.