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Work #876 · Late

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

Pierre-Simon Laplace
1814 (Essai philosophique sur les probabilités) · French
Scientific-philosophical essay · Enlightenment mathematical science

Laplace's 1814 essay — classical determinism and the founding of probability theory

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities (Late)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

The deterministically-fixed time.

Space

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

The classical Newtonian space.

Matter

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

Particles with positions and forces.

Observer

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

The Laplace-demon as ideal knower.

Energy

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

Energies of mechanistic determination.

Information

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

The complete deterministic information.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

A Philosophical Essay on Probabilities

Laplace's Essay: foundational for probability theory and the long debate about classical determinism — overturned by quantum mechanics.