Analytic Metaphysics / Logical Atomism
Logical Atomism (Bertrand Russell, early Wittgenstein) holds that the world consists of logically independent atomic facts, mirrored in the elementary propositions of an ideal logical language. Quine's naturalistic analytic metaphysics continues this tradition: ontology is continuous with science, the basic entities are whatever scientific theory is quantified over, and philosophy's task is logical analysis and ontological economy.
I. Time
| Extent | Infinite |
| Ontological Status | Substantival |
| Grain | Continuous |
| Freedom | Deterministic |
| Traversability | Linear |
| Dimensionality | One |
| Direction | Uni-directional |
Time is substantival and infinite — a real dimension of the world that is logically analyzable into discrete atomic temporal facts. Time is continuous, linear, deterministic, and uni-directional. The logical atomist treats temporal propositions as straightforwardly true or false, rejecting metaphysical obscurity about time's nature.
II. Space
| Extent | Infinite |
| Ontological Status | Substantival |
| Curvature | Flat |
| Dimensionality | Three |
| Locality | Local |
Space is substantival, infinite, and flat — an objective, logically analyzable dimension of the world. It is local and three-dimensional: spatial facts are atomic and logically independent. The analytic philosopher treats spatial concepts with the same precision and clarity as logical notation.
III. Matter
| Extent | Finite |
| Ontological Status | Substantival |
| Conservation | Conserved |
| Dimensionality | Three |
| Locality | Local |
Matter is substantival, finite, and locally situated — it consists of whatever entities our best scientific theories quantify over. Matter is conserved through natural law and logically analyzable into atomic material facts. The analytic metaphysician defers to physics for the inventory of material reality while insisting on logical clarity in the description.
IV. Observer
| Time Instance | Single |
| Space Instance | Single |
| Extent of Knowledge | Immediate |
| Retainment of Knowledge | Total |
| Physicality | Embodied |
| Agency | Passive |
| Number | Plural |
V. Energy
Energy is substantival and finite — a real, scientifically measurable quantity. Conservation holds as one of the best-confirmed empirical regularities. Dispersibility is irreversible, a straightforward physical fact amenable to clear logical analysis.
VI. Information
Logical atoms are the fundamental units of information — reality is composed of atomic facts, each a discrete, irreducible unit of informational content. Information is substantival because these atomic facts are real features of the world. It is conserved because logical truths are necessary and cannot be destroyed. It is discrete because logical atomism insists on a fundamental level of indivisible informational units (atomic propositions).