Phoronomy

Abstract

ABOUT thirty-five years ago, I had a conversation with the late Dr. Donaldson, a well-known Greek scholar of the time, in which we discussed the appropriateness of the use of the word kinematics, in the sense in which it was then, and is now, employed by writers on mathematical science. Dr. Donaldson's opinion was that it is not the best word which can be employed to represent the science of pure motion, without regard to causation. He said that the word κινϵω involved the idea of the cause of motion, and therefore that it ought not to be used when the idea of causation is to be completely set aside. He further gave it as his opinion that the word φℴρϵω is more nearly expressive of the idea of mere going, without any reference to the cause of motion, and therefore that the proper word would be phoronomy, or phoretics.