
Published online:
01 November 2003
Published in print:
01 February 2003
Online ISBN:
9780199868285
Print ISBN:
9780195165418
Contents
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Space as Extended Nothing Space as Extended Nothing
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Container Space Container Space
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Another Reason for Rejecting Container Space? Another Reason for Rejecting Container Space?
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Spaces and Places Spaces and Places
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Bodies as Adjectival on Space Bodies as Adjectival on Space
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Space as a System of Relations Space as a System of Relations
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The Fourth View: Space Is a Separator The Fourth View: Space Is a Separator
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Smallness of Parts Smallness of Parts
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Subtleness and Size Subtleness and Size
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The Integration Problem The Integration Problem
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Subtleness and Speed Subtleness and Speed
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Notes Notes
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Chapter
1 Space and Subtle Matter in Descartes's Metaphysics
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Pages
3–25
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Published:February 2003
Cite
Bennett, Jonathan, 'Space and Subtle Matter in Descartes's Metaphysics', in Rocco J. Gennaro, and Charles Huenemann (eds), New Essays on the Rationalists (New York , 2003; online edn, Oxford Academic, 1 Nov. 2003), https://doi.org/10.1093/0195165411.003.0001, accessed 3 May 2025.
Abstract
Descartes rightly attacked the idea of space as extended nothing, but in inferring that space is an extended something, a substance, he overlooked the possibility that it is instead a system of relations (as Leibniz held). Even if it is a substance, it does not follow – as Descartes implied that it does – that “space” and “matter” are synonymous. It might instead be (1) that space is a substantial container, portions of which can be colocated with bodies or (2) that space is a substantial separator, portions of which flow into all locations where there are no bodies.
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