“Absolute space, in its own nature, without regard to anything external, remains always similar and immovable. Relative space is some movable dimension or measure of the absolute spaces, which our senses determine by its position to bodies, and which is vulgarly taken for immovable space.”
- January 4, 1643 – March 31, 1727
- Born in England (UK)
- Natural philosopher, mathematician, physicist, astronomer, theologian
- Proposed the laws of universal gravitation and motion, built the foundations of modern science, and systematized theories of natural philosophy and mathematics.
Quote
“Absolute space, in its own nature, without regard to anything external, remains always similar and immovable. Relative space is some movable dimension or measure of the absolute spaces, which our senses determine by its position to bodies, and which is vulgarly taken for immovable space.”
Explanation
In this quote, Isaac Newton is explaining his concept of absolute space versus relative space. According to Newton, absolute space is an ideal, unchanging, and immovable framework that exists independently of everything else. It is a constant, not influenced by external objects or events, and serves as a universal reference for measuring the positions and movements of objects in the universe. Newton contrasts this with relative space, which he defines as the way we perceive space through our senses, based on the position of objects and their movement relative to each other. Relative space is the space we experience, which appears to be fixed or immovable but is actually dynamic and dependent on external bodies.
Newton’s distinction between absolute and relative space was crucial in the development of his laws of motion and his theory of gravitation. Absolute space provides a true, objective backdrop for understanding how bodies move, independent of the objects they interact with. On the other hand, relative space is our human perception of space, shaped by our sensory experience and the objects around us. This distinction became central in Newton’s Principia Mathematica, where he used absolute space as the foundation for describing how objects move in the universe.
In modern physics, Newton’s concept of absolute space has been largely replaced by the theory of relativity developed by Albert Einstein in the 20th century. According to Einstein, space and time are interwoven in a single fabric known as space-time, which is dynamic and affected by mass and energy. Unlike Newton’s absolute space, which was considered to be a fixed stage for all physical events, space-time in relativity is flexible and can be curved or distorted by the presence of mass and gravity. Despite this shift in understanding, Newton’s absolute space remains a key historical concept that helped lay the groundwork for classical mechanics and the scientific revolution, influencing the study of motion and forces in the universe.
