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Reference: Postulate Mechanics (PM)

All substance (matter, energy, and thought) have the following properties in common:

1. Space (extents of substance)
2. Time (duration of substance)
3. Inertia (centeredness of substance)
4. Motion (spreading of substance)
5. Gravity (equilibrium of substance)

These properties do not exist when there is no substance.

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Space

Space represents the extents of substance. Matter has the most compact space; energy has extremely wide space; and thought has mental space, which is very different from physical space.

So, space is always filled with substance. “Empty space” is empty of matter only. It can still be filled with invisible energy or thought. There is no such thing as “void” that is empty of all substance. Space cannot exist in the absence of substance.

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Time

Time represents the duration of substance. Looking at stars, planets and moons, we find that they are relatively fixed in space. Thus, matter appears to have almost infinite time. Energy does not seem to be fixed in space. In other words, energy appears to have much less time (duration) compared to matter. Thought has mental time, which is very different from physical time. This can easily be experienced by anybody waiting for their first baby to be born.

So, time also requires the presence of some phenomena to be meaningful. Time cannot exist in the absence of substance.

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Inertia

In classical mechanics, inertia is the tendency to resist changes in motion. This resistance comes from centeredness of an object in space. A spinning top can be seen as being “centered” in space. This is the principle used in gyroscope. We have spin naturally occurring in matter at atomic level. Matter has the highest inertia. In comparison, energy, as in case of radiation, has very little inertia. Thought can have fixation in mental space, or it can be free flowing.

Inertia manifest only when effort is made to change the equilibrium motion of a body. For example, a billiard ball is in equilibrium when it is sitting on a table. There is no inertial force. Inertial force arises only when the ball is pushed. The inertial force resists the change in motion, apart from any friction.

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Motion

The less the substance is fixed, or centered in space, the more intrinsic motion it has. In general, matter has sluggish motion in a limited range compared to radiation. Energy of radiation has a much higher motion; for example, the intrinsic velocity of light is 3 x 10⁸ m/s. In comparison, thought can be instantaneous in its motion in mental space.

Inertia appears to maintain the intrinsic motion of a body. For example, the very large but finite velocity of light is maintained by inertia. In case of light, this inertia happens to be very small but still significant.

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Gravity

Gravity is similar to inertia. Gravity maintains the intrinsic motion of a system of bodies. For example, the solar system is a system of bodies. The intrinsic motion of the sun, the planets and their moons is maintained in a dynamic equilibrium by gravity. No gravitational force arises unless that equilibrium is disturbed. Gravity then acts only to restore the equilibrium motion of the system.

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Postulate Mechanics

These fundamental properties are presented in Postulate Mechanics quite differently from science. Science does not look at space and time as properties of substance because it does not have a precise definition for substance.

Science does not see inertia as “centeredness” in space. It only sees inertia as resistance to change in motion. Therefore, it does not see inertia as a property that determines the intrinsic motion of the substance. Science has no concept of a relationship between inertia and motion. Furthermore, science does not see the role of inertia in maintaining an equilibrium motion. In other words, science does not see that inertia acts to restore the equilibrium motion of a body when it is disturbed. 

Lastly, science does not understand the nature of gravity because it does not see its role being similar to that of inertia for a system of bodies.

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