What Is the Substance of Space and Its Role in Our Perception?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the nature of space, questioning whether it is merely a relation between objects or if it constitutes a substance in its own right. Participants explore theoretical implications of space's properties, including its relationship with mass and gravity, and its role in perception.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant posits that all things we sense have mass, suggesting that mass is necessary for the chain of action and reaction leading to perception.
  • Another participant questions whether space is merely a relation of "some stuff to other stuff" or if it is a substance in its own right.
  • Spatiomaterialism is introduced as a view that considers space to be a substance, asserting that each part of space possesses essential and existential aspects of substance.
  • A participant argues that since space has properties such as bending and limiting speed, it must have a substance of its own, equating property with substance.
  • There is a suggestion that gravity, which influences space, is part of space itself, indicating a potential interrelation between space and gravitational properties.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of space, with some supporting the idea of space as a substance and others questioning this perspective. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views present.

Contextual Notes

Some arguments depend on specific definitions of substance and property, which are not fully clarified. The implications of space's properties on perception and physical laws are also not settled.

omin
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What is this thing we call space?

All things that we sense with our fives senses have the property mass. Why? Because, objective mass is necessary to cause the chain of action and reaction from environment to sense to thought.

All things we sense only with instruments have the property mass. Why? Because, obejective mass is necessary to cause the chain of action and reaction from environment to instrument to sense to thought.

All things that come to the mind must come first through the five senses.

So, what is space?
 
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space

Its the relation of some stuff to other stuff. Or is it stuff in its own right?
 
mee said:
Its the relation of some stuff to other stuff. Or is it stuff in its own right?

Spatiomaterialism assumes that space is a substance by our definition, for it assumes that each part of space has both the essential and the existential aspects of the nature of substance as substance. The parts of space are all the locations in a single, three dimensional space.
 
You posted this already in TD. Its still wrong (and it belongs there, not here).
 
Rader said:
Spatiomaterialism assumes that space is a substance by our definition, for it assumes that each part of space has both the essential and the existential aspects of the nature of substance as substance. The parts of space are all the locations in a single, three dimensional space.
I would think that since space has the property of bending and limiting speed, then it has a substance of its own. Property=substance.
 
Mike2 said:
I would think that since space has the property of bending and limiting speed, then it has a substance of its own. Property=substance.

Gravity does that but then gravity is part of space.
 

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