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Work #743 · Late

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

James Clerk Maxwell
1873 (2 vols.; 2nd ed. 1881; 3rd ed. 1891) · English
Scientific treatise · Victorian mathematical physics / classical field theory

Maxwell's 1873 founding treatise unifying electricity, magnetism, and light — the four Maxwell equations

Attribute Fingerprint

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

Attribute A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism (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 Theistic
Observer · Moral Authority Scripture
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 Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

The temporal propagation of electromagnetic waves.

Space

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

The continuous space of electromagnetic fields.

Matter

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

Charges and currents in interaction with fields.

Observer

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

The mathematical physicist.

Energy

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

Energies of the electromagnetic field.

Information

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

The Maxwell equations as mathematical information.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism

Maxwell's Treatise: a pinnacle of classical physics, the immediate ancestor of special relativity and quantum electrodynamics.