Schopenhauer on space, time, causality and matter: a physical reexamination

Abstract

According to Schopenhauer, Kant’s arguments about the transcendental ideality of space and time have implications for matter through the concept of causality and the principle of sufficient reason. In this article, I examine to what extent this principle, together with space, time and causality can be considered a priori concepts in the light of classical and modern physics. The concepts of matter and field in present day physics, and their possible a priori fundaments, are revisited in a modern context.

Keywords

• Space
• Time
• Matter
• Modern physics