
Contents
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1. Introduction 1. Introduction
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2. The Possibility of the Cosmic Void 2. The Possibility of the Cosmic Void
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3. A Case Study 3. A Case Study
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3.1 Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics 3.1 Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics
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3.2 The Everettian Wentaculus 3.2 The Everettian Wentaculus
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4. Challenges 4. Challenges
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4.1 The Semantic Challenge 4.1 The Semantic Challenge
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4.2 The Metaphysical Challenge 4.2 The Metaphysical Challenge
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4.3 The Empirical Challenge 4.3 The Empirical Challenge
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5. Conclusion 5. Conclusion
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Acknowledgements Acknowledgements
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References References
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Cite
Abstract
What exists at the fundamental level of reality? On the standard picture, the fundamental reality contains (among other things) fundamental matter, such as particles, fields, or even the quantum state. Non-fundamental facts are explained by facts about fundamental matter, at least in part. In this paper, I introduce a non-standard picture called the “cosmic void” in which the universe is devoid of any fundamental material ontology. Facts about tables and chairs are recovered from a special kind of laws that satisfy strong determinism. All non-fundamental facts are completely explained by nomic facts. I discuss a concrete example of this picture in a strongly deterministic version of the many-worlds theory of quantum mechanics. I discuss some philosophical and scientific challenges to this view, as well as some connections to ontological nihilism.
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