Huygens on Inertial Structure and Relativity

Philosophy of Science 83 (2):277-298 (2016)
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Abstract

I explain and assess here Huygens’ concept of relative motion. I show that it allows him to ground most of the Law of Inertia, and also to explain rotation. Thereby his concept obviates the need for Newton’s absolute space. Thus his account is a powerful foundation for mechanics, though not without some tension.

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10.1086/684912

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Marius Stan
Boston College

Citations of this work

Classical Spacetime Structure.James Owen Weatherall - 2022 - In Eleanor Knox & Alastair Wilson (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Physics. London, UK: Routledge.

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References found in this work

Principia Philosophiae.René Descartes - 1644 - Amsterdam: Apud Danielem Elzevirium.

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