SPACE, TIME 281 



in a sense, closer to the individual than are empirical space 

 and time; at least the average individual, if called upon to 

 describe space and time, does so in the Euclidean-Newtonian 

 terminology rather than in more empirical terms. Apparently 

 he has become so habituated to the scientific conception, 

 which has infiltrated into the common sense point of view, 

 that he finds it difficult to remove himself to a level which 

 is psychologically more primitive. For this reason a discus- 

 sion of scientific space and time advisedly precedes a dis- 

 cussion of the more empirical notion; only when the former 

 is contrasted with the latter is it seen to be hypothetical 

 and to be itself derivable from the empirical conception by 

 certain operational techniques. Hence in what follows, the 

 order of discussion will be: scientific content, empirical 

 foundation, operational derivation. Because of the obvious 

 similarity between space and time the two concepts will be 

 considered together throughout the chapter. 



NEWTONIAN TIME AND EUCLIDEAN SPACE 



The space and time of classical physics may be described 

 as objective, single, continuous, infinite, homogeneous, and 

 isotropic. A few remarks concerning each of these features 

 will serve to characterize them briefly. 



Objectivity. By the objectivity of space and time is meant 

 their independence of events. They are considered to be 

 containers which may or may not be full. Events, presum- 

 ably, cannot exist without spEiee and time, but space and 

 time can exist without events. Events make no difference 

 to space or time. The independent character of time is 

 summed up in such adages as, "Time and tide wait for no 

 man," and in the words from Macbeth, 



Come what come may, 



Time and the hour run through the roughest day. 



Newton described time and space in the following words: 

 "Absolute, true and mathematical time, of itself, and from 

 its own nature, flows equably without regard to anything 



