牛顿自然哲学中的上帝与空间——《论重力》中的空间形而上学研究

God and Space in Newton's Natural Philosophy:A Study on the Metaphysics of Space in De Gravitatione

在牛顿研究中,上帝与空间的关系是一个重要而持久的问题。柯瓦雷认为牛顿对上帝与空间的关系所持的观点与摩尔的观点具有相当的一致性。牛顿手稿《论重力》的发现使这一观点需要得到重新考察,麦圭尔与卡列罗分别提出了两种具有代表性的观点,然而他们的解释并未成功建立上帝与空间观念的融贯性。尽管如此,从牛顿本人哲学与神学方面的思想背景来看,《论重力》中两个关于空间的论题与其神学及上帝观念是一致的,空间并不在任何积极意义上规定甚至限制上帝的实存,因此在牛顿的语境中其论证是合理的。

The problem of relationship between God and space is an important and enduring one in Newton researches, Koyre maintains that Newton＇ s view about the relationship between God and space is conformable to that of Henry More＇ s. The discovery of Newton＇ s manuscript De Gravitatione called a review of this standpoint. McGuire and Carriero offered two representative interpretations of the text, yet their works did not successfully establish the coherence between ideas of God and space, However, viewing from the intellectual background of Newton＇ s own philosophy and theology, the two theses concerning Space is coherent with his theological idea about God. Space does not regulate or limit the existence of God in any positive sense, and Newton＇ s argument is valid in his own context.