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2 ideas
18220 | Both philosophy and physics now make substantivalism more attractive [Field,H] |
Full Idea: In general, it seems to me that recent developments in both philosophy and physics have made substantivalism a much more attractive position than it once was. | |
From: Hartry Field (Science without Numbers [1980], 4) | |
A reaction: I'm intrigued as to what philosophical developments are involved in this. The arrival of fields is the development in physics. |
18219 | Relational space is problematic if you take the idea of a field seriously [Field,H] |
Full Idea: The problem of the relational view of space is especially acute in the context of physical theories that take the notion of a field seriously, e.g. classical electromagnetic theory. | |
From: Hartry Field (Science without Numbers [1980], 4) | |
A reaction: In the Leibniz-Clarke debate I sided with the Newtonian Clarke (defending absolute space), and it looks like modern science agrees with me. Nothing exists purely as relations. |