294 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE 



and last elements implies a more extensive series taken as 

 the referential system; hence there must be the vague 

 recognition of scientific space and time in order that the 

 finitude of empirical space and time may be rendered clear. 

 But the individual easily recognizes that the events of this 

 more extensive spatial-temporal system are not in his ex- 

 perience, hence do not constitute his space and his time. 

 The question as to whether empirical time is infinite in both 

 directions depends upon the attitude which one takes toward 

 the existence of the future in his own time scheme. If the 

 future is defined in terms of expectations just as the past 

 is defined in terms of memories, then the most remote 

 future instant will be determined by that event of which 

 there are definite expectations, just as the most remote 

 past instant is determined by that event of which there are 

 definite memories. But if the future is considered to be 

 non-existent, the empirical temporal series may be considered 

 as ending at each present moment. Whether this would be 

 considered a finite series would depend upon considerations 

 too profound to be examined here. 



Non-homogeneity. By virtue of the close association of 

 empirical space and time with events, they take on the ir- 

 regularities of the events. It seems unquestionable that the 

 "here" in space and the "now' in time have privileged 

 positions in the series. Since the "here'' 1 is the location of 

 my body it becomes the ultimate standard of spatial refer- 

 ence, and qualitatively distinguishable from all other points. 

 "Here" has immediacy, "there" has remoteness. Similarly, 

 since the "now' is the moment of my consciousness, it 

 becomes the ultimate standard of temporal reference, and 

 qualitatively distinguishable from all other instants. In 

 fact, some would say that only the "now' exists, and that 

 all "thens" are non-existent; if so, the "now' occupies a 

 distinctly privileged position in the series. By virtue of 

 these features one should always be able to tell from what 

 environment a given section of empirical space or time has 

 been taken; it bears its qualitatively distinguishing features 



