Closest scientific analogue: Eternal objects in Whitehead’s philosophy are most closely mirrored in science by mathematical structures, physical laws, and symmetry principles. These are timeless, abstract frameworks that shape how reality unfolds, much like eternal objects function as “pure potentials” for actualization.

Eternal Objects Recap

• Whitehead described them as “pure potentials for the specific determination of fact” or “forms of definiteness”.

• They are not physical things but possibilities that actual entities can realize.

• Example: “triangularity” or “redness” exists as a potential form, independent of whether any triangle or red object is present.

Scientific Parallels

Here are the closest scientific concepts that resonate with eternal objects:

• Mathematical Forms & Structures

  • Equations, geometrical shapes, and abstract mathematical entities exist independently of physical instantiation.

  • Example: The Pythagorean theorem is true whether or not any right triangle exists.

• Physical Laws

  • Laws like Newton’s laws, Maxwell’s equations, or Einstein’s relativity are timeless frameworks that govern actual events.

  • They don’t “act” themselves but constrain and enable what happens, similar to eternal objects.

• Symmetry Principles

  • Symmetries (rotational, translational, gauge symmetries) define possible states and transformations in physics.

  • They are abstract, universal, and timeless — guiding the structure of physical reality.

• Platonic Forms in Mathematics

  • Eternal objects are often compared to Platonic ideals. In science, this is echoed in the belief that mathematics describes a realm of timeless truths that reality instantiates.

Comparison Table

Eternal Objects (Whitehead)	Closest Scientific Analogue
Pure potentials	Mathematical structures
Forms of definiteness	Physical laws
Timeless, abstract	Symmetry principles
Lure actualization	Laws constrain physical events

Conclusion

Eternal objects are not identical to any single scientific concept, but the closest parallels are mathematical structures, physical laws, and symmetry principles. These serve as timeless, abstract frameworks that shape the possibilities of the physical universe, much like eternal objects shape the possibilities of actual occasions.

Would you like me to go one step further and map specific physics concepts (like conservation laws, Hilbert spaces, or quantum wavefunctions) onto eternal objects to show how they might function as “forms of definiteness” in modern science?