What is matter? By an Inner templar1869 |
Common terms and phrases
action angle of incidence appear atom of matter attraction and repulsion attractive force believe Berkeley bodies Boscovich called matter centres of force CHAPTER common sense conceived condensation considered Corpuscular Theory critical angle diamond distance elasticity electricity equal ether existence explain Faraday fills all space follow forms of matter glass gravitation impinges infinite intensity Kant knowledge Lewes lines of force mass metaphysical Milky mind modern molecules motion mutually penetrable nature nebulous Newton noumena noumenon nuclei ordinary matter original element original matter perpendicular phenomena Philosophy planets plenum pole porosity powers produce properties of matter question radiation ratio ray of light ray passes reflected refracted ray refracting medium refractive index regard repulsive force resultant revolving says scientific sines Sir Henry Holland Solar system sphere of attraction substance substratum suppose supposition surface-atom things tion truth Undulatory theory Universe vacuum velocity vibration
Popular passages
Page 38 - A mind just entering on the subject, may consider it difficult to think of the powers of matter independent of a separate something to be called the matter, but it is certainly far more difficult, and indeed impossible, to think of, or imagine, that matter independent of the powers.
Page 33 - It seems probable to me, that God in the beginning formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and in such proportion to space, as most conduced to the end for which He formed them; and that these primitive particles, being solids, are incomparably harder than any porous...
Page 34 - ... the nature of things depending on them would be changed. Water and earth composed of old worn particles and fragments of particles, would not be of the same nature and texture now with water and earth composed of entire particles in the beginning. And therefore that nature may be lasting, the changes of corporeal things are to be placed only in the various separations and new associations and motions of these permanent particles...
Page 42 - The view now stated of the constitution of matter would seem to involve, necessarily, the conclusion that matter fills all space, or, at least, all space to which gravitation extends, including the sun audits system; for gravitation is a property of matter dependent on a certain force, and it is this force which constitutes the matter. In that view matter is not merely' mutually penetrable, but each atom extends, so to say, throughout the whole of the solar system, yet always retaining its own centre...
Page 33 - He formed them; and that these primitive particles, being solids, are incomparably harder than any porous bodies compounded of them, even so very hard as never to wear or break in pieces — no ordinary power being able to divide what God himself made one in the first creation.
Page 41 - ... by preconceived notions. With respect to the mutual penetrability of the atoms, it seems to me to present in many points of view a more beautiful, yet equally probable and philosophic idea of the constitution of bodies than the other hypotheses, especially in the case of chemical combination. If we suppose an atom of oxygen and an atom of potassium about to combine and produce potash, the hypothesis of solid unchangeable impenetrable atoms places these two particles side by side in a position...
Page 107 - ... point of rest made by each molecule of the air, determines the pitch, or note, so, in the theory of light, the frequency of the pulses, or number of impulses made on our nerves in a given time by the ethereal molecules next in contact with them, determines the...
Page 42 - This view of the constitution of matter,' he continues, 'would seem to involve necessarily the conclusion that matter fills all space, or at least all space to which gravitation extends; for gravitation is a property of matter dependent on a certain force, and it is this force which constitutes the matter. In that view matter is not merely mutually penetrable; but each atom extends, so to say, throughout the whole of the solar system, yet always retaining its own centre of force.
Page 98 - ... violet, and those in which it is intermediate, the intermediate colors. 4. That the molecules of material bodies and those of light exert a mutual action on each other, which consists in attraction and repulsion, according to some law or function of the distance between them ; that this law is such as to admit perhaps of several alternations or changes from repulsive to attractive force, but that when the distance is below a certain very small limit, it is always attracted up to actual contact...
Page 34 - Particles, would not be of the same Nature and Texture now, with Water and Earth composed of entire Particles in the Beginning. And therefore, that Nature may be lasting, the Changes of corporeal Things are to be placed only in the various Separations and new Associations and Motions of these permanent Particles; compound Bodies being apt to break, not in the midst of solid Particles, but where those Particles are laid together, and only touch in a few Points.