Timeline of Newton’s and Einstein’s concept of space and time (absolutism vs relationalism)
By jason1025
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Classical Physics is introduced by Sir Issac Newton
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Newton's notion on Absolute Space and Time
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Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
Originally introduced by Sir Isaac Newton in Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, the concepts of absolute time and space provided a theoretical foundation that facilitated Newtonian mechanics. According to Newton, absolute time and space respectively are independent aspects of objective reality. -
Leibniz–Clarke correspondence
A scientific, theological and philosophical debate on the concept of space and time between German thinker Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and English supporter of Newton, Samuel Clarke.
A dispute between the absolute theory of space and time proposed by Newton and favoured by Clarke, and Leibniz’s relational approach. -
Einstein publishes Special Theory of Relativity
The Special Theory of Relativity connected space and time, and showed both to be dependent upon the reference frame's motion. In Einstein's theories, the ideas of absolute time and space were superseded by the notion of space-time in special relativity. -
Einstein publishes General Theory of Relativity
Special relativity eliminates absolute time and general relativity further reduces the physical scope of absolute space and time through the concept of geodesics. There appears to be absolute space in relation to the distant stars because the local geodesics eventually channel information from the these stars, but it is not necessary to invoke absolute space with respect to any system's physics.