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Work #848 · Mid

The Analysis of Sensations

Ernst Mach
1886 (1st ed.); 1903 (rev. 5th ed.) · German
Philosophical-scientific treatise · Late-nineteenth-century empiriocriticism / Viennese positivism

Mach's 1886 founding work of empiriocriticism — sensations as the fundamental elements

Attribute Fingerprint

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

Attribute The Analysis of Sensations (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Relational
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Relational
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Relational
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 Relational
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Relational
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

The Analysis of Sensations

Time as relational among sensations.

Space

The Analysis of Sensations

Space as relational structure of sensations.

Matter

The Analysis of Sensations

Matter as bundle of sensations.

Observer

The Analysis of Sensations

The sensation-analysing self.

Energy

The Analysis of Sensations

Energies of perceptual constancy.

Information

The Analysis of Sensations

Sensations as fundamental elements.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The Analysis of Sensations

Mach's Analysis of Sensations: foundational for empiriocriticism, Viennese positivism, and twentieth-century neutral monism; influenced Einstein on absolute space.