--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do not define time, space, place, and…" description: "\"I do not define time, space, place, and motion, as being well known to all. Only I must observe, that the common people conceive those quantities under..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/isaac-newton-1226_absolutes_i-do-not-define-time-space-place-and-mot_1029759.jpg" --- # I do not define time, space, place, and motion, as being… ![“I do not define time, space, place, and motion, as being well known to all. Only I must observe, that the common people conceive those quantities under no other notions but from the relation they bear to sensible objects. And thence arise certain prejudices, for the removing of which it will be…” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/isaac-newton-1226_absolutes_i-do-not-define-time-space-place-and-mot_1029759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/isaac-newton-1226_absolutes_i-do-not-define-time-space-place-and-mot_1029759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62f/isaac-newton-1226_absolutes_i-do-not-define-time-space-place-and-mot_1029759.jpg) > “I do not define time, space, place, and motion, as being well known to all. Only I must observe, that the common people conceive those quantities under no other notions but from the relation they bear to sensible objects. And thence arise certain prejudices, for the removing of which it will be convenient to distinguish them into absolute and relative, true and apparent, mathematical and common.” [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our perception of space and time is relative; absolute concepts are convenient distinctions. **In simple terms:** Space and time are perceived relatively. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about reality. Themes science philosophy perception Mood analytical inquisitive Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - physics education - philosophical debate - everyday navigation - technological design Key Concepts relativity epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you experience space? - Can time be truly measured? A Different Perspective Absolute concepts still useful in practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Common people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“There are certain prejudices attached to the human mind which it requires all our wisdom to keep from interfering with our happiness; certain set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-radcliffe/there-are-certain-prejudices-attached-to-the-human-mind-which-it/) Anne Radcliffe > [Certain names always awake certain prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philibert-joseph-roux/certain-names-always-awake-certain-prejudices/) [Philibert Joseph Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philibert-joseph-roux/) > [Happiness is like time and space-we make and measure it ourselves; it is as fancy, as big, as little, as you please, just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-du-maurier/happiness-is-like-time-and-space-we-make-and-measure-it-ourselves-it/) [George du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-du-maurier/) > [Once we have conceived of time and space, once we have accepted their existence, then that implies that there is a structural order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/once-we-have-conceived-of-time-and-space-once-we-have-accepted-their/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“But forecasters often resist considering these out-of-sample problems. When we expand our sample to include events further apart from us in time and space,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/but-forecasters-often-resist-considering-these-out-of-sample-problems/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [Time-space as commonly understood, in the sense of the distance measured between two time-points, is the result of time calculation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-heidegger/time-space-as-commonly-understood-in-the-sense-of-the-distance/) [Martin Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-heidegger/) > [In reality, time and space exist in you. You do not exist in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/in-reality-time-and-space-exist-in-you-you-do-not-exist-in-them/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [You can't slot a time and a space and think 'ok now it's time to sit and compose.' It just doesn't work like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gopi-sundar/you-can-t-slot-a-time-and-a-space-and-think-ok-now-it-s-time-to-sit/) [Gopi Sundar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gopi-sundar/) > [The historian must be a poet; not to find, but to find again; not to breathe life into beings, into imaginary deeds, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philibert-joseph-roux/the-historian-must-be-a-poet-not-to-find-but-to-find-again-not-to/) [Philibert Joseph Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philibert-joseph-roux/) > [Time is but the space between our memories; as soon as we cease to perceive this space, time has disappeared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-but-the-space-between-our-memories-as-soon-as-we-cease-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We both wondered whether these contradictions that one can't avoid if one begins to think of time and space may not really be proofs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-machen/we-both-wondered-whether-these-contradictions-that-one-can-t-avoid-if/) [Arthur Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-machen/) > [“The effect of the 'time becomes space' proposal is that there is no definite moment or point of creation. In more conventional quantum mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/the-effect-of-the-time-becomes-space-proposal-is-that-there-is-no/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [In 'Past Lives,' the villains of the story are time and space - 23years and the Pacific Ocean - so those things needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/in-past-lives-the-villains-of-the-story-are-time-and-space-23years/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [I have all the time and space in the world when I write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-have-all-the-time-and-space-in-the-world-when-i-write-a-book/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Time and space are only forms of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-nesbit/time-and-space-are-only-forms-of-thought/) [E. Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-nesbit/) ## More by Isaac Newton > [The same law takes place in a system, consisting of many bodies, as in one single body, with regard to their persevering in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-same-law-takes-place-in-a-system-consisting-of-many-bodies-as-in/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [I have been much amused at ye singular phenomena resulting from bringing of a needle into contact with a piece of amber or resin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-been-much-amused-at-ye-singular-phenomena-resulting-from/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/no-great-discovery-was-ever-made-without-a-bold-guess/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and little, into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-keep-the-subject-of-my-inquiry-constantly-before-me-and-wait-till/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Philosophy is such an impertinently litigious lady that a man had as good be engaged in lawsuits as have to do with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/philosophy-is-such-an-impertinently-litigious-lady-that-a-man-had-as/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Do not Bodies act upon Light at a distance, and by their action bend its Rays; and is not this action (caeteris paribus) \[all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/do-not-bodies-act-upon-light-at-a-distance-and-by-their-action-bend/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [God in the beginning formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, movable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with such other properties, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/god-in-the-beginning-formed-matter-in-solid-massy-hard-impenetrable/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [ I am ashamed to tell you to how many figures I carried these calculations \[of Pi\], having no other business at the time ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-am-ashamed-to-tell-you-to-how-many-figures-i-carried-these/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Hypotheses non fingo. I frame no hypotheses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/hypotheses-non-fingo-i-frame-no-hypotheses/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [The Ignis Fatuus is a vapor shining without heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/the-ignis-fatuus-is-a-vapor-shining-without-heat/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Blind metaphysical necessity, which is certainly the same always and every where, could produce no variety of things. All that diversity of natural things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/blind-metaphysical-necessity-which-is-certainly-the-same-always-and/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [You sometimes speak of gravity as essential and inherent to matter. Pray do not ascribe that notion to me, for the cause of gravity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/you-sometimes-speak-of-gravity-as-essential-and-inherent-to-matter/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/there-are-more-sure-marks-of-authenticity-in-the-bible-than-in-any/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Therefore to the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, assign the same causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/therefore-to-the-same-natural-effects-we-must-as-far-as-possible/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [In scripture we are told of some trusting in God and others trusting in idols, and that God is our refuge, our strength, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/in-scripture-we-are-told-of-some-trusting-in-god-and-others-trusting/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) [Explore all 266 Isaac Newton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) Christy Nockels > [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/) [Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/) > [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,016 Absolutes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do not define time, space, place, and motion, as being well known to all. 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