Dear listers,
I do not think the title of this thread is well-thought. There is
nothing such as a "Space-Time Continuum" which could be reasonably
discussed about. Even though it is often repeated chain of words.
For the first: Continuity does not mean the same as does 'continuum'. -
and this is not a trifle issue. Within philosopy one should mind one's
wordings.
For the second: Take into true consideration the quote provided:
MB
One of my favorite Peirce quotes... "space does for different subjects
of one predicate precisely what time does for different predicates of
the same subject." (CP 1.501)
Here CSP is clearly talking about conceptual issues & philosophizing.
The key point being the relation between 'subject' and 'predicate'.
CSP differentiates between considerations of space and time. At least he
does so in separating the issues for a specific approach &consideration
each approach needs.
What CSP is saying, is to my mind, that continuity in time and
continuity in space need to be fully grasped BEFORE taking them both as
an issue to be tackled. Especially by such a concept as a continuum.
A continuum has a beginning and an end. It is presupposed in the very
concept. The very idea of a big (or little) bang as a start or an end
just illustrates current minds, current common sense. The still
dominating nominalistic world-view.
What is non-Eucleidean geometry about? It is about radically changing
the scale. Any line which appeared to previous imagination as a straight
one, and necessarily so, does not appear so after the fact that the
earth is round had been fully digested.
This is not assumed to play any part in the invention of non-Euclidean
geometry. And it does not in the stories and histories told about it.
The earth does appear flat, in the experiential world of all human
beings. And goes on to appear so untill interplanetary tourism becomes
commonplace. Flat, although somewhat bumby.
I am curious about possible responses. Do wish I'll get some.
Kirsti
John F Sowa kirjoitti 20.5.2017 00:28:
Jeff and Mike,
Those are important points.
JBD
In a broad sense, Sir William Rowan Hamilton anticipated Einstein's
idea that space and time can be conceived as parts of a four
dimensional
continuum. In fact, he used the algebra of quaternions to articulate a
formal framework for conceiving of such physical relations as part of
a
four dimensional field.
Peirce was familiar with Hamilton's work. And when he was editing
the second edition of his father's book _Linear Algebra_, he added
some important theorems to it. In particular, he proved that the
only N-dimensional algebras that had division were the real line
(1D), the complex field (2D), quaternions (4D), and octonions (8D).
MB
One of my favorite Peirce quotes... "space does for different subjects
of one predicate precisely what time does for different predicates of
the same subject." (CP 1.501)
He also discussed non-Euclidean geometry. While he was still at the
US C&GS, he proposed a project to determine whether the sum of the
angles of triangles at astronomical distances was exactly 180 degrees.
Simon Newcomb rejected that project.
John
-----------------------------
PEIRCE-L subscribers: Click on "Reply List" or "Reply All" to REPLY ON PEIRCE-L
to this message. PEIRCE-L posts should go to peirce-L@list.iupui.edu . To
UNSUBSCRIBE, send a message not to PEIRCE-L but to l...@list.iupui.edu with the
line "UNSubscribe PEIRCE-L" in the BODY of the message. More at
http://www.cspeirce.com/peirce-l/peirce-l.htm .