Friday, July 13, 2012

Rectilinearity, Time, Copernican Revolution

As has been previously discussed here, in the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science, Kant posits, inverting the Aristotelian concept of the relation, that circular motion is derived from rectilinear motion.  Now, it seems likely that the priority of the latter motion is an expression of what Kant shows is the rectilinearity of Time, one of the forms of Experience.  Accordingly, given that circular motion is perpetual for Aristotle, Kant's circular-rectilinear inversion is an expression of an Eternity-Time inversion.  So, Kant's Copernican revolution, which relocates Ptolemaic, from Aristotle, celestial circulation in the spectator spinning on the axis of the Earth, is one consequence of his innovative theory of Time.

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