Skip to main content

Three Steps Towards Absolutism

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Synthese Library ((SYLI,volume 157))

Abstract

Quite a number of philosophers of science have argued, in recent years, for at least some kind of absolutism about space or time or space-time; but most philosophers who do not specialize in this area seem to take a relativist view, and indeed a fairly extreme form of relativism, to be simply obvious, or to be established beyond the need for controversy. This paper is addressed primarily to such general philosophers, and its purpose is at least to disturb their complacency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Notes

  1. See, for example, my ‘Truth and Knowability’, Analysis 40 (1980), 90–92.

    Google Scholar 

  2. B. Russell, The Problems of Philosophy, London, 1912, Chapter 5.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Letter from Adam Smith to William Strahan dated November 9, 1776, in Hume’s Dialogues concerning Natural Religion, ed. by Norman Kemp Smith, London, 1947, pp. 243–8.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1983 D. Reidel Publishing Company

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mackie, J.L. (1983). Three Steps Towards Absolutism. In: Swinburne, R. (eds) Space, Time and Causality. Synthese Library, vol 157. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6966-7_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6966-7_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-009-6968-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6966-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics