Aether as a substitute for space

There is no logical argument for a definition of space based on imaginary concepts. That is why, from early time, it was believed that a real entity, namely (different kinds of) aether, filled the entire space. In such theories, aether (with real existence) replaced non-existent space by filling it entirely. Mode of filling or mechanism of existence of these entities were never discussed. It was simply believed that the undefined aether work in place of unacceptable space. Therefore, all properties originally assigned to the functional entity of space could become properties of aether, a real entity. Although the aether had an ambiguous form but it was regarded as a real entity. Since the aether was real, it could deform, move or otherwise interact with other 3D material objects. This seems to have made all actions more logical and easy to understand. Unfortunately, no one could describe a satisfactory structure or properties for any of the different kinds of aether, proposed. Different types of aether were envisaged at different times in the past. The aether was assumed to be weightless, transparent, frictionless, chemically or physically undetectable and literally permeating all matter and space. ‘Aether theories’ met with increasing difficulties as the nature of light and the structure of matter became better defined, even if it was on imaginary basis. Since there was no accepted definition of aether, scientists concentrated their effort to find and measure an effect, the aether may make on other 3D macro bodies. For this they assumed, when a large macro body moves through aether, the macro body should essentially experience a drag due to the friction between the two. Aether theory was seriously weakened (1881) by the Michelson-Morley experiment, which was designed specifically to detect resistance to the motion of the Earth through the ether. Experiments showed that there was no such tangible effect. Finally, when aether’s existence could not be proved experimentally, by experiments based on illogical theories, majority of scientists abandoned the concept of (real) aether. They returned to more mysterious concepts of space and fields. Aether could have won the day if it could be explained that it is a real entity with definite structure, in direct contact with matter-bodies and it could move enclosed matter-bodies without appreciably moving itself but at the same time without any relative motion between moving body and the aether.

Space

Space is treated differently in different aspects. In physics; the space is usually understood as “the boundless three-dimensional extent of universe, where all material objects and organisms (including rational beings like ourselves) exist and in which objects and events occur”. All material objects in the universe have their relative as well as absolute positions and motions in the space. Space, itself, has no material existence. It cannot provide sense-experience to rational beings. In physical descriptions, only an entity that has physical existence can be sensed or extend or shrink. As no entity with physical existence is mentioned in the definition of space, space is an imaginary (functional) entity. A functional entity has no objective reality and can fulfill only the functions assigned to it by the proposer. It exists only in the mind of proposer and in mathematical analyses. Space is a functional entity that serves the purpose of locating various material bodies in it and where rational beings relate themselves with each other. The extent, outside material bodies, becomes the space. In contemporary physics, the imaginary space is able to dilate or contract as required even without objective reality. Currently, empty space is endowed with many of physical properties that a material object may have while it is also considered as absolute vacuum. All spatial concepts are related to contact-experiences of (matter) bodies. This has made it necessary to envisage an entity independent of bodies and yet embodying their locations. This entity, outside material bodies yet enclosing them, came to be understood as space. When a rational mind envisages a real object, it logically pre-supposes a place for its existence. This is understood not by sensing such a place but by the necessity of a place for the existence for any real body to exist. As a result, the notion of space is somewhat incoherent because it professes to be a container that is logically prior to its contents. Space turns out, in practice, to be merely an indefinitely extensible collection of its contents. Everything that occupies space falls within this wider spatial context. Space denotes a property by virtue of which different bodies occupy different positions in the universe. The possibility of arranging an unlimited number of matter-bodies next to one another denotes that the space is infinite in its extent. However far one can go, matter-bodies are there and beyond. If the space, outside the most basic 3D matter-particles, is filled entirely by a real universal medium, the medium and the space become synonymous. Space is no more an imaginary void, but a real medium, which contains all three-dimensional bodies in nature. Now, since the universal medium has a structure and constituents, it is able to deform and undergo all actions normally the imaginary space is assumed to perform. The universal medium can also substitute for various types of fields, used in present theories. Since the universal medium encloses all three-dimensional bodies, it acts as a direct link between any two such bodies and the assumption of ‘action at a distance through empty space’ is not required any more. The concept, proposed in the book, ‘MATTER (re-examined)’, considers space as an imaginary container, envisaged by rational beings as and when they think about three-dimensional material objects. It extends infinitely in all directions from the observer. In order to make space a real entity, it has to have substance that provides it with objective reality and positive existence. In material world, existence of matter is nearest to absolute truth. Therefore, in order to be real, space has to be made up of matter. When space is real, it can behave like any other real entity.