A Continental Interlude
A Continental Interlude
Time in van Helmont, Gassendi, and Charleton
This chapter describes the absolutisms of two Continental Europeans: Jan Baptist van Helmont and Pierre Gassendi. These figures are important to us in part because it has been argued that later British writers pick up on their ideas. On Van Helmont’s absolutism, time emanates from God. On Gassendi’s absolutism, space and time are incorporeal, dimensional beings that can be occupied by bodies; it is unclear how they relate to God. The final part of this chapter explores the absolutism of English philosopher Walter Charleton, which draws on Gassendi’s absolutism. Although there are deep similarities between the views of Gassendi and Charleton on space and time, this chapter argues there are differences too.
Keywords: Absolute time, Jan Baptist van Helmont, Pierre Gassendi, Walter Charleton, Henry More
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