4

If I remember it correctly, there is a specific term used to describe the fullness/packedness of the universe by ancient Greek philosophers. i.e. There is no "void" in the universe.

Can somebody help me with the term? I feel like Flaubert when he could not recall the exact term he wanted to use.

Improve this question
9
  • 2
    Plenitude ? But the principle of plenitude does not assert that "there is no void"...
    – Mauro ALLEGRANZA
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 12:22
  • Both of your answers mentioned something I was ignorant of and I am grateful. However, I vaguely remember the term has something to do with metaphysics on particles, such as what Democritus said about atoms and may influenced Descartes' Vortex Theory, but please don't be misled by my memory if your intuition tells you otherwise.
    – Sean
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 12:42
  • The word "plentitude" may actually work better in the context of the phenomena I intend to describe. Thank you. However, I do wish people who know the answer shed light on the topic or correct my shoddy memory on the subject.
    – Sean
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 12:54
  • 1
    See also Plenism.
    – Mauro ALLEGRANZA
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 13:00
  • 2
    "πλήρης" = full
    – John Am
    Commented Feb 7, 2017 at 15:16

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
6

The term is Plenism.

See Descartes' Physics and compare with Aristotle's Natural Philosophy; and see also The void: Antiquity.

Plenism identify the view that the physical universe contains no vacuums.

See Plenitude for the metaphysical thesis asserting that the universe contains all possible forms of existence.

Improve this answer
2

PLENUM ITSELF IS A GOOD WORD. In Sanskrit we speak of emptiness as sunyatva and of fullness as purnatva . The Scholarly volume of essays edited by Bettina Bauer and John R. Dupuche may be of some interest to you. It may not lead to your recollection of ‘Flaubert’ per se, but it will awake many other ‘memories’...some perhaps even from a last-life-time! Namaste!

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .