more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 17708

[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 3. Points in Space ]

Full Idea

One theory is that space is made up of dimensionless points, but physical processes cannot take place in regions of less than a certain size.

Gist of Idea

Maybe space has points, but processes always need regions with a size

Source

Edwin D. Mares (A Priori [2011], 06.7)

Book Ref

Mares,Edwin: 'A Priori' [Acumen 2011], p.97


A Reaction

Thinkers in sympathy with verificationism presumably won't like this, and may prefer Feynman's view.

Related Idea

Idea 17707 We should regard space as made up of many tiny pieces [Feynman, by Mares]


The 13 ideas with the same theme [minimal units that make up space]:

Cantor proved that three dimensions have the same number of points as one dimension [Cantor, by Clegg]
Whitehead replaced points with extended regions [Whitehead, by Quine]
Space is the extension of 'point', and aggregates of points seem necessary for geometry [Russell]
The concept of a 'point' makes no sense without the idea of absolute position [Quine]
The natural conception of points ducks the problem of naming or constructing each point [Kreisel]
We should regard space as made up of many tiny pieces [Feynman, by Mares]
Why should the limit of measurement be points, not intervals? [Dummett]
Rationalists see points as fundamental, but empiricists prefer regions [Benardete,JA]
We can identify unoccupied points in space, so they must exist [Le Poidevin]
If spatial points exist, then they must be stationary, by definition [Le Poidevin]
Points are limits of parts of space, so parts of space cannot be aggregates of them [Lowe]
Surfaces, lines and points are not, strictly speaking, parts of space, but 'limits', which are abstract [Lowe]
Maybe space has points, but processes always need regions with a size [Mares]