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Single Idea 3334

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

Full Idea

Rationalists have been happier with an ontology of points, and empiricists with an ontology of regions.

Gist of Idea

Rationalists see points as fundamental, but empiricists prefer regions

Source

José A. Benardete (Metaphysics: the logical approach [1989], Ch.16)

Book Ref

Benardete,José A.: 'Metaphysics: The Logical Approach' [OUP 1989], p.119

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

10863 Cantor proved that three dimensions have the same number of points as one dimension [Cantor, by Clegg]
16962 Whitehead replaced points with extended regions [Whitehead, by Quine]
14160 Space is the extension of 'point', and aggregates of points seem necessary for geometry [Russell]
18970 The concept of a 'point' makes no sense without the idea of absolute position [Quine]
17811 The natural conception of points ducks the problem of naming or constructing each point [Kreisel]
17707 We should regard space as made up of many tiny pieces [Feynman, by Mares]
18257 Why should the limit of measurement be points, not intervals? [Dummett]
3334 Rationalists see points as fundamental, but empiricists prefer regions [Benardete,JA]
22922 We can identify unoccupied points in space, so they must exist [Le Poidevin]
22924 If spatial points exist, then they must be stationary, by definition [Le Poidevin]
8269 Points are limits of parts of space, so parts of space cannot be aggregates of them [Lowe]
4227 Surfaces, lines and points are not, strictly speaking, parts of space, but 'limits', which are abstract [Lowe]
17708 Maybe space has points, but processes always need regions with a size [Mares]