280 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE 



difficulties arise at the scientific level. Prior to the discovery 

 of non-Euclidean geometries, about a century ago, no one 

 had seriously questioned the accuracy of the Euclidean 

 system as a description of the space of nature; scientific 

 space was Euclidean space. But since the advent of the 

 theory of relativity suspicions have begun to arise that an 

 alternative space might serve better as the background for 

 the explanation of certain phenomena. Yet Euclidean space 

 still remains adequate upon a certain level. Hence one 

 finds himself in the peculiar position of being obliged to 

 examine two scientific concepts, each having a certain range 

 of application. Some authors recognize this ambiguity, 

 and insist even that there may be three spaces, viz., psy- 

 chological or individual space, public or physical space, 

 and geometrical space. 1 Similar difficulties arise in connec- 

 tion with time. 



Since the discussion in this chapter aims at mere illustra- 

 tion rather than comprehension, an arbitrary point of view 

 may be taken. Empirically, space and time may be con- 

 sidered on that level at which the synthesis of the spaces 

 and times of the separate sense organs has already been 

 made; hence there will be for each individual only one space 

 and only one time. Scientifically, the concepts may be 

 considered at the pre-relativity level, at least for the major 

 part of the discussion; a brief consideration of the difference 

 between the absolute space and time of Newtonian physics 

 and the space- time of the special theory of relativity will 

 conclude the chapter, and will, perhaps, compensate for the 

 over-emphasis on the Newtonian conception. As a conven- 

 ience of terminology, pre-relativity space and time may be 

 called simply Euclidean space and Newtonian time; together 

 they constitute the background of the classical physics. 



For obvious reasons, a variation in the order of discussion 

 of the three basic questions will be introduced in this chap- 

 ter. Contrary to what was found to be true in the case of 

 the concepts of mathematics, scientific space and time are, 



1 R. B. Lindsay and H. Margenau, Foundations of Physics, Chap. II. 



