自然哲学与形而上学的交缠——牛顿的空间概念探究

The Entanglement Between Natural Philosophy and Metaphysics——A Research of Newton's Concept of Space

牛顿在多个文本中对于空间问题有着不同甚至矛盾的论述,这种表面上的矛盾源于牛顿的空间概念本身所包含的丰富内涵。流溢命题和特性命题构成了牛顿对于空间概念的基本阐释,流溢命题将空间视为上帝的流溢结果,这个论断很大程度上来源于剑桥柏拉图主义者亨利·莫尔的影响;特性命题则为空间给出了一个全新的本体论定位,它区别于实体和性质,是一切事物存在的前提。考察牛顿的空间概念为我们研究西方思想中自然哲学和形而上学的相互关系提供了一个新的视角,也有助于我们理解推动现代西方哲学变革的背后动力。

Newton's expositions of space in different literature are mutually conflicting,which stem from the abundant connotation of the concept of space. Newton's basic exposition of space is constituted with emanative thesis and affection thesis. Emanative thesis defines space as the effect of God's emanation,which mainly comes from Cambridge Platonist Henry More; Affection thesis offers space a new ontological position,which holds that space is neither substance nor property but a precondition of every being. The investigation of Newton's concept of space gives a new perspective for the study of the relationship between natural philosophy and metaphysics and is conducive to comprehend the impetus of the transition of modern western philosophy.