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Single Idea 5097
[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / C. Space / 4. Substantival Space
]
Full Idea
If place is an existing thing, then it will exist somewhere. For Zeno's puzzle needs explaining: if every existing thing is in place, an infinite regress occurs, because there will clearly have to be a place for place.
Gist of Idea
If everything has a place, this causes an infinite regress, because each place must have place
Source
Aristotle (Physics [c.337 BCE], 209a23)
Book Ref
Aristotle: 'Physics', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [OUP 1996], p.80
A Reaction
This seems to be the basic dilemma with space. If it exists independently, it requires a location, but if it doesn't exist, how can anything have a location? Neither Newton, Leibniz nor Einstein seem to have solved the dilemma.
The
16 ideas
with the same theme
[space that exists in its own right]:
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5097
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If everything has a place, this causes an infinite regress, because each place must have place
[Aristotle]
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5099
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The universe as a whole is not anywhere
[Aristotle]
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14031
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Space must exist, since movement is obvious, and there must be somewhere to move in
[Epicurus]
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17013
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Absolute space is independent, homogeneous and immovable
[Newton]
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2103
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The idea that the universe could be moved forward with no other change is just a fantasy
[Leibniz]
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17543
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So-called 'empty' space is the carrier of geometry and kinematics
[Heisenberg]
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15981
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Absolute space either provides locations, or exists but lacks 'marks' for locations
[Alexander,P]
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8592
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Empty space is measurable in ways in which empty time necessarily is not
[Bennett, by Shoemaker]
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18220
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Both philosophy and physics now make substantivalism more attractive
[Field,H]
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3904
|
Measuring space requires no movement while I do it
[Scruton]
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19035
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General Relativity allows substantivalism about space-time - that it has independent properties
[Hoefer]
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22923
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Absolute space explains actual and potential positions, and geometrical truths
[Le Poidevin]
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14991
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Space has real betweenness and congruence structure (though it is not the Euclidean concepts)
[Sider]
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20659
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Space and its contents seem to be one stuff - so space is the only existing thing
[Wolfram]
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21160
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The Higgs field means even low energy space is not empty
[New Sci.]
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20458
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The world is just particles plus fields; space is the gravitational field
[Rovelli]
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