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Author Topic:   Epistemology of space

icosahedron posted 07-15-99 01:51 PM ET
There are two kinds of space, conceptually speaking.
One is more properly termed "volume", and we all have an intuitive notion of what this means. A volume the simultaneously considered set of points existing on the interior of a static, finite, simultaneous enclosing boundary.
More generally, space may be considered to be a measure of how much freedom of motion is available. Space is literally the space between things; the further apart things are, the more space there is between them. Separation is actually measured with time: distance means time. So space is that which separates things. Direction of separation is also important, when you are considering more than one thing angles arise. So we have amount and direction of separation -- that is what space is. Amount of separation is measured by time of transit, and direction of separation is a matter of angular trajectory.
So ultimately we can say that space is the "passage" of time in all directions. More specifically, space is the memory of time's passage in at least four directions (this is enough to define all other directions).
Volumes are regions where the passages are regenerative in time, so appear static.
Comments?
David Chako

ceebs posted 07-15-99 10:55 PM ET
that appears to be one type of space.
one of your types is a subset of the other
Trappist posted 07-16-99 05:16 PM ET
There is a third (or second....) type of space.
The large bluey-black one where the aliens come from.
That's not a flippant answer- icosahedron states he is speaking conceptually. I guarantee that at least half the readers of this thread will imagine my definition of space as their initial concept.
It will attain a subjective reality.
Though, on the whole, I'm really not bothered.
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Author	Topic: Epistemology of space
icosahedron	posted 07-15-99 01:51 PM ET There are two kinds of space, conceptually speaking. One is more properly termed "volume", and we all have an intuitive notion of what this means. A volume the simultaneously considered set of points existing on the interior of a static, finite, simultaneous enclosing boundary. More generally, space may be considered to be a measure of how much freedom of motion is available. Space is literally the space between things; the further apart things are, the more space there is between them. Separation is actually measured with time: distance means time. So space is that which separates things. Direction of separation is also important, when you are considering more than one thing angles arise. So we have amount and direction of separation -- that is what space is. Amount of separation is measured by time of transit, and direction of separation is a matter of angular trajectory. So ultimately we can say that space is the "passage" of time in all directions. More specifically, space is the memory of time's passage in at least four directions (this is enough to define all other directions). Volumes are regions where the passages are regenerative in time, so appear static. Comments? David Chako
ceebs	posted 07-15-99 10:55 PM ET that appears to be one type of space. one of your types is a subset of the other
Trappist	posted 07-16-99 05:16 PM ET There is a third (or second....) type of space. The large bluey-black one where the aliens come from. That's not a flippant answer- icosahedron states he is speaking conceptually. I guarantee that at least half the readers of this thread will imagine my definition of space as their initial concept. It will attain a subjective reality. Though, on the whole, I'm really not bothered.