Symmetry Deflationism

CRISTIAN LÓPEZ

Bristol

Congreso; XXV Foundations of Physics; 2023

University of Bristol

My main aim in this paper is to introduce symmetry deflationism as a viable philosophical position towards symmetries in physics, paving the way for future developments. To locate symmetry deflationism and its sub-varieties in the philosophical landscape, I first outline a map of alternative philosophical positions along with their main theses. I then introduce symmetry deflationism, which takes symmetries as indispensable for physical theorizing and empirical research, but not as part of the physical ontology. This position is in turn divided into two more concrete sub-varieties: symmetry epistemicism and symmetry normativism, which naturally fit in Humeanism and neo-Kantianism respectively.