To say that
things happen in time means in part that they happen in a certain order.
To say that things are located in space implies that they have a certain
position vis-à-vis each other.
The following
statements all refer to temporal and spatial relations:
( (1) The
abdication occurred between the two world wars.
(2) The
Napoleonic wars were followed by a period of relative calm.
( (3) Belgium is east of England and north of France.
(4) The table
stands between the chair and the window.
With respect
to time, some of the basic relations are simultaneous, before, and between.
Whether this list is essentially complete, or perhaps redundant in some
respects, are questions that we shall not try to answer at this point.
(The answers may seem obvious to the reader now, but that impression may change
as we follow the history of the problem.) At least, a theory of time must
give an account of these relations and thus explicate such common assertions as
(1) and (2).
With respect to space, it is not easy to make even a plausible
preliminary list of basic relations. It is hard to believe that such
relations as north of and east of – though they are clearly spatial relations – can be in any way basic
to the subject. For these relations concern entities on the earth
primarily; we may say that Polaris is north of any point on earth, because a
sighting of Polaris indicates the northerly direction. But this seems
already to some extent an analogical extension of the term “north,” and it
would certainly not make obvious sense to ask whether Polaris is north of the
sun or the star Alpha Centauri. Moreover, is Asia Minor east or west of
North America? The relation between of example (4), however, is not subject to these restrictions and ambiguities. Thus, a theory of space must at least give an
account of the spatial betweenness relation.
Now, relations
give rise to order.
Text: Bas C. van Fraassen, An
Introduction to the Philosophy of Time and Space, New York, Random House, 1970, pp. 3-4.
Illustrations: (1) Sara Rubinow, They All Agreed Something Was Missing, 2010; (2) Dolphin pod
(unknown photographer); (3) Daniel Maclise, Lawn Before The Duke’s Palace, Orlando About to
Engage with Charles the Wrestler (scene from As You Like It), oil on canvas,
1854; (4) Framed passport photo of F. Scott Fitzgerald inscribed to his
Princeton roommate, J. Biggs, "Yours in ironic humor, F. Scott
Fitzgerald" and counter-inscribed "Recieved (sic) as given in gentle
humor, J. Biggs"; this photograph later served as frontispiece illustration for Fitzgerald's "This Side Of Paradise"; (5) Albrecht Dürer, St. Jerome In His Study, engraving, 1514.
The farther I get away from professional philosophy, the stranger it seems.
ReplyDelete"Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow"
That seems, if anything, clearer (though by no means clear).
You put that very well. I have no good sense of direction and GPS put an end to whatever natural compass I once had. During the years I spent long periods in suburban Chicago shuttling between the Mundelein Crowne Plaza and the office in Vernon Hills (a real estate term -- there are no hills in the Chicago suburbs), never driving myself and often totally exhausted, I would tell people who asked where I was that I was somewhere "on the map." I had no idea really what I meant but I liked the sound of it and thought is must be correct until I thought how theoretical mapping could be. My favorite villain in Dr. Strange comics was one called "The In-Betweener." It wasn't until years later that I learned that was a sort of in-joke based on the fact that "in-betweener" is a traditional artist job at comic book companies. Merry must know all about this. Currently I'm lost in a few contracts. Curtis
ReplyDeleteI'm bad at maps and spatial relationships as well. My father had a map in his head and used to ask me to point where I thought our destination was when we were driving places--and I would always be off, way off. He had an explanation for it, but I have never been able to correct that.
ReplyDeleteBut then my husband has students who think it's downhill from Ohio to Florida . . . Evidently that's not all that unusual.
Downhill from Ohio to Florida? I get that, I'm afraid. A former Pilates teacher (and friend) pointed out to me (not that she needed to) in front of my wife that I have no idea whatsoever of where I am in space. I'm trying to see that as an unusual talent, but I'm afraid I can't get there. Curtis
ReplyDeleteyou do not want fleas and you do not need to buy a lemon. If you work with a credible dealershipUsed Vans
ReplyDeleteDear Sri: I do not indeed. What a very odd link. Curtis
ReplyDelete