back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 5097

[from 'Physics' by Aristotle, in 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 Reference

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.