Terms for rates of motion

The scalar space of a motion is the arc length along the curve it traces out. The scalar time of a motion is the travel time along the route it traces out. The time rate is “The rate at which something takes place over time.” The space rate is the rate at which something takes […]

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Odologes

An odologe (o′∙do∙loje) is a constant-rate length-measuring device synstancialized with a common waypoint. It is a new coinage from odo(s), path + (horo)loge, clock. In short, it is a clock that shows length instead of time. The simplest odologe takes time from a clock and multiplies it by a conversion speed to produce a length.

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Why space and time are not different

Many differences are proposed between space and time. This post briefly indicates how all of them are a matter of convention, and so not real. For details, consult posts on this blog. (1) There are three space dimensions but only one time dimension. Directionality can be associated with either length or time (duration). 3D time

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Ten meanings of time

Carlo Rovelli’s “Analysis of the Distinct Meanings of the Notion of “Time” in Different Physical Theories” (Il Nuovo Cimento B, Jan 1995, Vol 110, No 1, pp 81–93) describes ten distinct versions of the concept of time, which he arranges hierarchically. Here are excerpts from his article: We find ten distinct versions of the concept

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Space and time involution

J. C. C. McKinsey, A. C. Sugar and P. Suppes (hereafter MSS) wrote “Axiomatic foundations of classical particle mechanics”, (Journal of Rational Mechanics and Analysis, v.2 (1953) p.253-272), which is also described in Suppes’ Introduction to Logic (Van Nostrand, New York, 1957), pp.291-322 (see here). It is only a partial axiomatization of Newtonian mechanics but is

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Centers of motion

Bodies with space-time orbit by gravitation around their barycenter, the center of mass. The word barycenter is from the Greek βαρύς, heavy + κέντρον, center. The barycenter is one of the foci of the elliptical orbit of each body. For the two-body case let m and M be the two masses, and let r and

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Aristotle’s physics

Physicist Carlo Rovelli wrote the article “Aristotle’s Physics: A Physicist’s Look” published in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2015, pp. 23-40 with a free version available here. Luke Barnes summarizes the article here. For more on limited domains see here and here. Below are some excerpts from the

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Methodical Realism

Here are excerpts from Étienne Gilson’s Methodical Realism (Le réalisme méthodique), translated by Philip Trower (Christendom Press, 1990 / Ignatius Press, 2011): The mathematician always proceeds from thought to being or things. Consequently, critical idealism was born the day Descartes decided that the mathematical method must henceforth be the method for metaphysics. p.11 Indeed, all

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Handbook for Beginning Realists

From Étienne Gilson’s Methodical Realism (Le réalisme méthodique), Chapter V: A Handbook for Beginning Realists, Translated by Philip Trower (Christendom Press, 1990 / Ignatius Press, 2011). (See also here.) 1. The first step on the realist path is to recognize that one has always been a realist; the second is to recognize that, however hard one

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Observers and travelers again

This post continues the ones here and here. Realism considers what is perceived with full consciousness as reality. Apperception and reality correspond to each other. The role of theory is to clarify this correspondence, not to deny it. So realists understand observation to be correct, not to be altered by theory. Anti-realism considers what is

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