HISTORY AND METODOLOGY OF VACUUM PHYSICS
PART I. HISTORICAL CONCEPT OF VACUUM WITHIN
ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY
The paper presents the main aspects and concept of the evolution of
vacuum in the ancient and medieval history of science and philosophy. It is
obvious that even in ancient times vacuum was at the center of philosophical
controversy of two antagonistic conceptions. Naturalist philosophers believed
that the universe consists of atoms and absolutely empty space without of
matter. In contrast to the materialistic school Ionian philosophers have
proposed the idea on the continuity of matter and the impossibility of existence
of voids, Aristotle’s idea was further developed by postulate ,,nature abhors a
vacuum”.
False teaching about Aristotle’s concept of vacuum dominated science
and philosophy until the middle of the XVII th century, taking in the era of the
,,darkness” of the Middle Ages even a mystical religious forms. Particular
attention is given to the concept of vacuum in science and philosophy of Arab
Muslim and application of physical properties of thin air for operating technical
means in the Greek period.
Keywords: universe, nature, matter, motion, atom, void, vacuum, pump,
air, water, nature abhors vacuum
Cuvinte cheie: univers, natură, materie, mişcare, atom, spaţiu gol, vid,
pompă, aer, apă, natura are oroare de vid
