CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: The Subject-matter of Philosophy,

and its relations to the Special Sciences

PART I

PAGE

.

II

THE TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS OF MATHEMATICAL
PHYSICS, AND THEIR GRADUAL MODIFICATION
WITHIN THE REGION OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE

CHAPTER

I. The Traditional Conception of Space, and the

Principle of Extensive Abstraction

II. The General Problem of Time and Change

26

53

III. The Traditional Kinematics, and its gradual

Modification in the Region of Physics. (1)

The Absolute and the Relational Theories

85

IV. Modification of the Traditional Kinematics in

the Region of Physics—Continued. (2) The

Special Theory of Relativity

114

V. The Traditional Kinetics, and its gradual Modifi-

cation in the Region of Physics. (1) Newton's

Laws of Motion and Gravitation

VI. Modification of the Traditional Kinetics-Con-

tinued. (2) The General Theory of Relativity.

155

179

VIII. The Theory of Sensa, and the Critical Scientific

Theory

239

IX. The Positions and Shapes of Sensa and of

Physical Objects

284

XIII. The Physiological Conditions of Sensations, and

the Ontological Status of Sensa

INDEX

488

549

PART I

THE TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS OF MATHEMATICAL

PHYSICS, AND THEIR GRADUAL MODIFICATION

WITHIN THE REGION OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE

CONTENTS OF Part I

INTRODUCTION.-The Subject-matter of Philosophy, and its

Relations to the Special Sciences

CHAPTER

I. The Traditional Conception of Space, and the Principle

of Extensive Abstraction

II. The General Problem of Time and Change

III. The Traditional Kinematics and its gradual Modification

within the Region of Physics. (1) The Absolute and

the Relational Theories

IV. Modification of the Traditional Kinematics in the Region

of Physics-Continued. (2) The Special Theory of

Relativity

V. The Traditional Kinetics and its gradual Modification in

the Region of Physics. (1) Newton's Laws of Motion

and of Gravitation

VI. Modification of the Traditional Kinetics Continued.

(2) The General Theory of Relativity. Summary of

Part I

SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

INTRODUCTION

"Noli, Lector, expectare hoc loco, contra Philosophiam aut Philosophos orationem invectivam. .. Distinguo inter Philosophos et non Philosophos, et inter Philosophiam veram, vitae humanae Magistram sapientissimam, humanae naturae decus singulare, et illam, quae jam diu pro Philosophia habita est, fucatam et garrulam meretriculam."

(HOBBES, Leviathan, Part IV. cap. xlvi.)

The Subject-matter of Philosophy, and its Relations to the special Sciences

I SHALL devote this introductory chapter to stating what I think Philosophy is about, and why the other sciences are important to it and it is important to the other sciences. A very large number of scientists will begin such a book as this with the strong conviction that Philosophy is mainly moonshine, and with the gravest doubts as to whether it has anything of the slightest importance to tell them. I do not think that this view of Philosophy is true, or I should not waste my time and cheat my students by trying to teach it. But I do think that such a view is highly plausible, and that the proceedings of many philosophers have given the general public some excuse for its unfavourable opinion of Philosophy. I shall therefore begin by stating the case against Philosophy as strongly as I can, and shall then try to show that, in spite of all objections, it really is a definite science with a distinct subject-matter. I shall try to show that it really does advance and that it is related to the special sciences in such a way that

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