Part 2/9:
At the heart of this discourse lies an enduring philosophical debate: what is the nature of space and time? Newton argued for the existence of absolute space and time, separate from the material bodies that occupy them. He introduced the concept that space and time exist inherently—regardless of the matter present. In his view, even if all matter were annihilated, absolute space and time would continue to exist.
On the other hand, thinkers like René Descartes posited that space and time are merely about the relationships between bodies. According to this view, if matter is removed, space and time, too, would cease to hold any meaning, giving rise to the idea that motion is inherently relative—only significant when assessed in relation to other bodies.