relationism

Relationism is a philosophical view that asserts space is not an independent entity but rather a representation of the spatial relationships between objects. This contrasts with absolutism, which posits space as an independently existing thing.1

The core idea of relationism is that facts about the universe can only be about measurable, relational properties, such as the distances between particles. It questions the coherence of discussing absolute positions that cannot be empirically verified.1

A key challenge to relationism comes from the concept of motion. For instance, understanding rotation requires a frame of reference. While relationism struggles to account for rotation without absolute space, some theories propose defining rotation relative to the universe's bulk mass, as suggested by Ernst Mach. This approach, however, can lead to nonlocality, where laws of motion depend on distant objects.2