Review: Garbe, Annette. Die partiell konventional, partiell empirisch bestimmte Realit\"at physikalischer RaumZeiten. K\"onigshausen & Neumann: W\"urzburg 2001, pp. 419, ISBN: 978-3-8260-2080-3

TL;DR

Garbe's book explores the partial conventionality and empirical determination of physical space-times, drawing parallels with Friedman's relativized a priori, and offers a novel perspective on the philosophy of space-time.

Contribution

It introduces a unique interpretation of space-time reality through partial convention and empiricism, highlighting Ludwig Lange's overlooked ideas.

Findings

Garbe's approach aligns with Friedman's relativized a priori.

Highlights the importance of Ludwig Lange's contributions.

Suggests a reevaluation of the conventionality in space-time theories.

Abstract

In 2001 the book "Die partiell konventional, partiell empirisch bestimmte Realit\"at physikalischer RaumZeiten" was published by K\"onigshausen & Neumann, with a volume of more than 400 pages. It was written by Annette Garbe. The English translation might be: "The Partial Conventionally, Partial Empirically Determined Reality of Physical Space-Times." In the following review it is argued that Garbe's approach comes very close to Michael Friedman's contemporary defense of the relativized a priori. Whereas Friedman's analysis of the role of conventional and constitutive principles in the theory of relativity initiated much discussion in the literature, Garbe's defense of "partial determination" has been ignored by the scientific community. This is entirely unjust due to her highly original re-discovery of Ludwig Lange.