Absolute Space in Natural Philosophy

Synonyms

Substantival space

Definition/Introduction

Absolute space is the hypothesis that space is an entity or structure that can determine the states of motion of material bodies but which exists independently of material bodies.

Newton and Absolute Space

Among Newton’s many contributions to natural philosophy, his concept of absolute space would play an important role in the debates in the nature of space and motion over the ensuing centuries. In the Principia, Newton states that “[a]bsolute space, of its own nature without reference to anything external, always remains homogeneous and immovable,” whereas “[r]elative space is any movable measure or dimension of this absolute space; such a measure or dimension is determined by our senses from the situation of the space with respect to bodies and is popularly used for immovable space” (Newton 2004, 64). The debate between the absolutists and relationists on space, time, and motion remains one of the fundamental questions in physics...