On the relativity of magnitudes: Delboeuf's forgotten contribution to the 19th century problem of space.
Stud Hist Philos Sci
; 106: 165-176, 2024 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38986224
ABSTRACT
Faced with the mathematical possibility of non-Euclidean geometries, 19th Century geometers were tasked with the problem of determining which among the possible geometries corresponds to that of our space. In this context, the contribution of the Belgian philosopher-mathematician, Joseph Delboeuf, has been unduly neglected. The aim of this essay is to situate Delboeuf's ideas within the context of the philosophies of geometry of his contemporaries, such as Helmholtz, Russell and Poincaré. We elucidate the central thesis, according to which Euclidean geometry is given special status on the basis of the relativity of magnitudes, we uncover its hidden history and show that it is defensible within the context of the philosophies of geometry of the epoch. Through this discussion, we also develop various ideas that have some relevance to present-day methods in gravitational physics and cosmology.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Filosofia
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Stud Hist Philos Sci
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de publicação:
Reino Unido