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An intriguing study of homo sapiens' relationship to time and space
Combination of historical, philosophical and scientific arguments reveal the origins of our concepts of time and space
Breaks with the conventional opinion by postulating that space and time are inventions rather than discoveries
Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
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Table of contents (12 chapters)
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Front Matter
About this book
This investigation of time and space is motivated by gaps in our current understanding: by the lack of definitions, by our failure to appreciate the nature of these entities, by our inability to pin down their properties.
The author's approach is based on two key ideas: The first idea is to seek the geo-historical origins of time and space concepts. A thorough investigation of a diversified archaeological corpus, allows him to draft coherent definitions; it furthermore gives clues as to whether time and space were discovered or invented. The second idea is to define the units before trying to define space and time.
The results presented here are unexpected: Time and space were not discovered in nature, but they were invented; time is not a phenomenon and space has no materiality; they are only concepts. This runs contrary to the opinion of most scientific and the philosophical authorities, although one would seek in vain for a theoretical validation of the conventional position. This book will provide much food for thought for philosophers and scientists, as well as interested general readers.
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Authors and Affiliations
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Cannes, France
Patrice F. Dassonville
About the author
Patrice Dassonville has a wide knowledge ranging from theoretical physics to business administration; he also has experience in teaching and in industrial engineering, and has worked in the USA and in Africa, including a crossing of the Sahara in 1973. His has a deep interest in philosophy, art, archaeology and ethnography. These broad interests helped him in realizing this book, for which interdisciplinarity plays a foremost role.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Invention of Time and Space
Book Subtitle: Origins, Definitions, Nature, Properties
Authors: Patrice F. Dassonville
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46040-6
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-46039-0Published: 11 October 2016
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-83427-6Published: 16 June 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-46040-6Published: 30 September 2016
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 176
Number of Illustrations: 43 b/w illustrations, 3 illustrations in colour
Topics: History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Philosophy of Science, Anthropology, Ontology, Ancient History