creators_name: Slowik, Edward
type: pittpreprint
datestamp: 2008-12-03
lastmod: 2010-10-07 15:17:29
metadata_visibility: show
title: Newton, the Parts of Space, and Spacetime Structuralism
subjects: history-of-philosophy-of-science
subjects: symmetries-invariances
full_text_status: public
keywords: Newton, space and time, structuralism, Early Modern physics
abstract: This essay will investigate the interrelationship between the parts of space and topological and metrical structure in Newton’s natural philosophy, as well as its influence in contemporary spacetime debates. The historical background to Newton’s claims will form an important part of the investigation, in addition to an assessment of the recent articles by Nerlich, Huggett, Torretti, DiSalle, and several others, on this subject. While various aspects of these previous contributions will prove informative, it will be argued that the underlying goals of Newton’s pronouncements on the relationship among the parts of space, including their methodological and ontological implications for absolute space and contemporary spacetime theories, have largely eluded prior analysis.
date: 2008-12
date_type: published
citation: Slowik, Edward (2008) Newton, the Parts of Space, and Spacetime Structuralism. [Preprint]
document_url: http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/4363/1/Newt4a.doc