Abstract
In a recent publication in the European Journal for Philosophy of Science (Romero and Pérez, European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 4, 293–308, 2014), Romero and Pérez claim to reveal new trouble for the already difficult life of presentism in relativistic spacetimes. Their argument purports to demonstrate the impossibility of postulating a viable present in the presence of black holes, in particular the Schwarzschild geometries. I argue that their argument is flawed, and that the Schwarzschild geometries they consider offer no novel threats to presentism. However, if we consider more general black holes, different and more potent threats may be lurking in the dark. I discuss these threats and sketch how a presentist may respond, thus painting a more balanced picture of the way the existence of black holes might impact presentist metaphysics. At present there is no decisive verdict from black holes, but it turns out a close scrutiny of the developments in the relevant physics will be needed to see whether their import will remain so inconclusive.
Highlights
Presentism may still be the metaphysics presumed by common-sense
This means that, even if I do sometimes touch upon them, I will not pursue in any depth many problematic issues for presentism in these geometries in so far as they are already present in relativistic context more generally, since they are not specific to the black hole geometries considered here
I briefly sketch some of these surprises, bring out the issues they cause for presentism, and, leaning heavily on the authority of others, outline the way these issues are evaluated in current physics
Summary
Presentism may still be the metaphysics presumed by common-sense. In the philosophical literature it leads a troubled life. There are other problematic solutions in general relativity that promise to bring similar trouble closer to actuality. Romero and Perez argue that at the horizon of a black hole, the only viable choice for a present is its (light-like) horizon itself. In the exposition that follows, I will limit my focus to the novel problems presentism encounters in black hole geometries. This means that, even if I do sometimes touch upon them, I will not pursue in any depth many problematic issues for presentism in these geometries in so far as they are already present in relativistic context more generally, since they are not specific to the black hole geometries considered here
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