What's wrong with the Platonic ideal of space and time?

TL;DR

This paper critiques the classical and modern conceptions of space and time, arguing that current theories do not fully explain their nature and emphasizing the need for further research.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis of classical, relativistic, and quantum perspectives on space-time, challenging recent hypotheses about discreteness.

Findings

Classical space-time concept is inadequate.

Modern physics introduces complex challenges.

Discreteness hypothesis is rejected.

Abstract

This is a chapter for an upcoming book, "Space, Time, and the Limits of Human Understanding", edited by Shyam Wuppuluri and Giancarlo Ghirardi. I first present the classical picture of flat space and ever-flowing time, as generally accepted until about 1900, discuss the challenges posed by modern physics and the adjustments required by special relativity, general relativity and quantum mechanics, and finally consider (and reject) a recent hypothesis that space-time is essentially discrete. Ultimately, none of the simple answers to "what is space-time?" stand up to reality. We have more work ahead of us!