Rest

A particular state of the motion of matter, i.e., the state of temporary stability and equilibrium under certain conditions and within a certain range. There are two basic cases of rest. One is when a concrete thing does not have a specific form of motion in a certain case. For example, an object is in mechanical equilibrium without a change of place with respect to a certain reference system. The second is that things are in a stage of quantitative change, without qualitative change, maintaining their nature. Rest is a particular form of motion. Engels said: “Any rest, any equilibrium is only relative, only has meaning in relation to one or other definite form of motion. On the earth, for example, a body may be in mechanical equilibrium, may be mechanically at rest.” Rest is conditional, temporary and relative; it is relative rest in motion. There is relative rest in absolute motion, and relative rest contains absolute motion; there is rest in absolute motion and there is motion in relative rest.

Relative rest is the necessary condition for the existence and development of things. Engels said: “The possibility of bodies being at relative rest, the possibility of temporary states of equilibrium, is the essential condition for the differentiation of matter and hence for life.” Relative rest keeps things qualitatively stable within a certain range, they exist and develop as such, thus relative rest enables a thing to distinguish itself from other things. Relative rest is the yardstick of motion. Without relative rest, motion cannot be understood. This is just as physics has to find a relatively stable reference system in order to describe the motion of an object, otherwise the state of motion of an object cannot be displayed and measured. Relative rest is the basis for knowing things and for understanding the diversity of matter. Since things are at relative rest, people can grasp the definite nature of a given thing, thus distinguish between different things.

Metaphysics did not see the absolute motion in relative rest, absolutized relative rest, and denied the development of things. Relativism did not acknowledge the relative rest in absolute motion, regarded things as ever-changing and unpredictable, was incapable to understand the diversity of the world, and easily relapsed into agnosticism and sophistry. A correct knowledge of relative rest requires to oppose the metaphysical and relativist view.