Prof. Muni Mahendra Kumar
The Jain metaphysical concept of Ākāśa is based on the logical necessity of the substratum of all the substances. Against such a concept the general arguments which is the well-known paradox of Zeno, is as follows: "If all that exists were in space, space also would have to exist in space and; so ad infinitum."[1] The answer to this argument is as follows: If the substratum of the other substances is conceived to be a material substance, there would be a fallacy of regresus ad infinitum, for experience tells us that any material substance cannot stay without a substratum. We, therefore, have to conceive of some non-material substratum. Thus, Ākāśa or space which is a non-material substratum is defined as that substance which is self-supported and which can support other substances. Hence, we need not think of any other substance to support the space.
Thus, we can conclude that the Jain metaphysical concept of Ākāśa is not only irrefutable by the theory of relativity but also unobjectionable on logical grounds.
