Editing Archimedean point

{{Short description|A hypothetical "God's-eye view" of the world}}
{{Epistemology sidebar}}
An '''Archimedean point''' ({{Langx|la|'''Punctum Archimedis'''}}) is a hypothetical [[Point of view (philosophy)|viewpoint]] from which certain [[objective truth]]s can perfectly be [[perceive]]d (also known as a '''God's-eye view''') or a reliable starting point from which one may reason. In other words, a view from an Archimedean point describes the ideal of removing oneself from the [[Unit of observation|object of study]] so that one can see it in relation to all other things while remaining independent of them.<ref>[[Simon Blackburn|Blackburn, Simon]], ed. [2008] 2016. "[http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095422175 Archimedean Point]" ([[quick reference]]). ''[[The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy]]'' (2nd rev. ed.). e<nowiki/>{{ISBN|9780191727726}}. [[Oxford Reference]]. Retrieved 18 June 2020.</ref>

For example, the [[philosopher]] [[John Rawls]] uses the [[heuristic]] device of the [[original position]] in an attempt to remove the particular [[biases]] of individual [[agency (philosophy)|agents]] to demonstrate how [[Rational Choice Theory|rational beings]] might arrive at an objective formulation of [[justice]].<ref>[[Daniel Bell|Bell, Daniel]]. [2001] 2020."[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/communitarianism/#UniVerPar Communitarianism]" (revised ed.). ''[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]''. Retrieved 18 June 2020.</ref>

== Origins ==
[[File:Archimedes lever.png|thumb|''Archimedes lever'', engraving from ''Mechanics Magazine'', London 1824]]
The term refers to the great mathematician [[Archimedes]], who supposedly claimed that he could lift the [[Earth]] off its foundation if he were given a place to stand, one solid point, and a long enough lever.

The idea for the term is attributed to [[René Descartes|Descartes]] in his [[Meditations on First Philosophy|second ''Meditation'']], who refers to Archimedes requiring only "a point that was firm and immovable," with regard to finding [[certainty]]:<ref>{{cite web | title = Quotations about Archimedes Lever | url = http://www.math.nyu.edu/~crorres/Archimedes/Lever/LeverQuotes.html | accessdate = 2009-01-23| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090126130558/http://www.math.nyu.edu/~crorres/Archimedes/Lever/LeverQuotes.html| archivedate= 26 January 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref><blockquote>Archimedes, that he might transport the entire globe from the place it occupied to another, demanded only a point that was firm and immovable; so, also, I shall be entitled to entertain the highest expectations, if I am fortunate enough to discover only one thing that is certain and indubitable.<ref>[[David Manley (philosopher)|Manley, David B.]], and Charles S. Taylor, ed. [1996] 2005. “[http://www.wright.edu/~charles.taylor/descartes/meditation2.html Meditations II].” ''Descartes' ‘Meditations’'' (HTML ed.), translated by [[John Veitch (poet)|J. Veitch]] (1901). Dayton, OH: [[Wright State University]], College of Liberal Arts.</ref></blockquote>

== Criticism ==
[[Sceptical]] and [[anti-realist]] philosophers criticise the possibility of an Archimedean point, claiming that "such an alleged standpoint is merely fantastical" and that the alleged objectivity of the view is mythical.<ref>[http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095422175 Archimedean Point]. [[Oxford Reference - Oxford University Press]]. Retrieved 18 April 2014.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bird's-eye view]]
* [[Observer effect (physics)]]
* [[Objectivity (philosophy)]]
* [[Objectivity (science)]]
* [[The Aleph (short story)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{wikiquote}}

[[Category:History of physics]]
[[Category:Concepts in the philosophy of science]]