Isnt minkowsky Spacetime only a manifold so gravity being a curvature of it is it really a physical reality?

Answer 1

Minkowski space-time is a mathematical three dimensional representation of a four dimensional space-time.
A mathematical analysis of an infinite universe is possible,but an infinite universe cannot be.
A light cone represents a space-time progression from zero which is valid but the negative aspect of the progression invalidates the complete diagram.
Mathematics is a great tool of science but it must be applied with objective prudence or it may lead from reality to the square root of minus one.

Answer 2

Technically, Minkowsky space is a "tangent space" to the underlying manifold that is spacetime. Minkowsky space is always taken to be perfectly flat, with a local metric that is diagonal. It is "tangent" to the overall, larger curved manifold of General Relativity, at the point under consideration (each point in the General Relativistic manifold has a tangent Minkowsky space. There is a "connection" between nearby Minkowsky spaces that stitch them together, a "fiber bundle"). Since most physics is "local", all those calculations can be done in the Minkowsky tangent space, and then transformed in space through the curved manifold if necessary. The underlying curved General Relativistic manifold has more "reality" than the tangent Minkowsky space, which is a mathematical method for treating the curved manifold.

Answer 3

Minkowsky spacetime is described by a mathematical tool can can make valid predictions. You're not going to stumble on it in the real world.

Answer 4

"Physical" reality means that rules of physics apply.

Minkowsky spacetime is a mathematical basis for general relativity. Therefroe, insofar as general relativity describes the behavior of gravity and the curvature of the universe, it also describes physical "reality".

You could ask a similar question about the special case of gravity on the surface of the earth, and whether Newtonian physics describe "reality" in that frame of reference.

Answer 5

Physical reality does NOT mean that rules of physics apply.
Physics laws change with time. Physical Reality does not, whether we currently recognise what is real or not! May I suggest this was one of Einstein's limitations IMO.

Answer 6

Pssstt! Gene!! Goring doesn't live in the real world. Hs just stumbles across words or phrases and tries to use them to impress people. He's yet to take a Physics class.

Doug