The Concepts of Space and Time

Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation by Albert Einstein, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. The Concepts of Space and Time

The Concepts of Space and Time

When we have formed the abstract ideas of coldness and warmth, and have had experience indicating that the occurrence of these properties varies in degree, we are in a position to form the secondary abstract notion covered by the word “temperature.” When we have formed the abstract ideas of size and position and separation, we are similarly in a position to form a secondary abstraction to which we give the name “space.” Not quite so easy to trace to its definite source but none the less clearly an abstraction based on experience, is our idea of what we call “time.” None of us are deceived as to the reality of these abstractions.]* [We do not regard space as real in the sense that we regard a chair as real; it is merely an abstract idea convenient for the location of material objects like the chair.]198 [Nor do we regard time as real in this sense. Things occupy space, events occupy time; space and time themselves we realize are immaterial and unreal; [34]space does not exist and time does not happen in the same sense that material objects exist and events occur. But we find it absolutely necessary to have, among the mental machinery mentioned above as the apparatus by aid of which we keep track of the external world, these vessels for that world to exist in and move in.

Space and time, then, are concepts.]* [It is not strange, however, that when confronted with the vast and bewildering complexity of the universe and the difficulty of keeping separate and distinct in our minds our perceptions and conceptions, we should at times and as respects certain things project our conceptions illegitimately into the perpetual universe and mistake them for perceptions. The most notable example perhaps of this projection has occurred in the very case of space and time, most fundamental of all of our concepts. We got to think of these as absolute, as independent of each other and of all other things, and as always existing and continuing to exist whether or not we or anything else existed—space as a three-dimensional, uniform continuum, having the same properties in all directions; time as a one-dimensional, irreversible continuum, flowing in one direction. It is difficult to get back to the idea that space and time so described and defined are concepts merely, for the idea of their absolute existence is ingrained in us as the result probably of long ancestral experience.]283

[Newton’s definitions of course represent the classical idea of time and space. He tells us that “absolute, true and mathematical time flows in virtue of its own nature, uniformly and without reference [35]to any external object;” and that “absolute space, by virtue of its own nature and without reference to any external object, always remains the same and is immovable.” Of course from modern standpoints it is absurd to call either of these pronouncements a definition; but they represent about as well as any words can the ideas which Newton had about time and space, and they make it clear enough that he regarded both as having real existence in the external world.

If space and time are to be the vessels of our universe, and if the only thing that really matters is measured results, it is plain enough that we must have, from the very beginning, means of measuring space and time. Whether we believe space and time to have real existence or not, it is obvious that we can measure neither directly. We shall have to measure space by measuring from one material object to another; we shall have to measure time by some similar convention based on events. We shall later have something further to say about the measurement of time; for the present we need only point out that]* [Newtonian time is measured independently of space; and the existence is presupposed of a suitable timekeeper.]10

[The space of Galileo and Newton was conceived of as empty, except in so far as certain parts of it were occupied by matter. Positions of bodies in this space were in general determined by reference to]283 [a “coordinate system” of some kind. This is again something that demands a certain amount of discussion.

About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books.

This book is part of the public domain. Albert Einstein (2020). Einstein's Theories of Relativity and Gravitation. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022.

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org, located at https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/63372/pg63372-images.html