Ebook: Einstein and the Changing Worldviews of Physics

This volume reviews conceptual conflicts at the foundations of physics now and in the past century. The focus is on the conditions and consequences of Einstein’s pathbreaking achievements that sealed the decline of the classical notions of space, time, radiation, and matter, and resulted in the theory of relativity. Particular attention is paid to the implications of conceptual conflicts for scientific views of the world at large, thus providing the basis for a comparison of the demise of the mechanical worldview at the turn of the 20^th century with the challenges presented by cosmology at the turn of the 21^st century.

Throughout the work, Einstein’s contributions are not seen in isolation but instead set into the wider intellectual context of dealing with the problem of gravitation in the twilight of classical physics; the investigation of the historical development is carried out with a number of epistemological questions in mind, concerning, in particular, the transformation process of knowledge associated with the changing worldviews of physics.

The contributions explore various aspects of the emerging relativistic views in modern physics by giving an historical, philosophical, and mathematical account of Einstein’s work, as well as the work of other distinguished physicists in the field. Taken as a whole, the book is focused on the interplay between mathematical concepts and physical ideas throughout history by studying today’s scientific world and how it continues to redefine physics in the 21st century .

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This volume reviews conceptual conflicts at the foundations of physics now and in the past century. The focus is on the conditions and consequences of Einstein’s pathbreaking achievements that sealed the decline of the classical notions of space, time, radiation, and matter, and resulted in the theory of relativity. Particular attention is paid to the implications of conceptual conflicts for scientific views of the world at large, thus providing the basis for a comparison of the demise of the mechanical worldview at the turn of the 20^th century with the challenges presented by cosmology at the turn of the 21^st century.

Throughout the work, Einstein’s contributions are not seen in isolation but instead set into the wider intellectual context of dealing with the problem of gravitation in the twilight of classical physics; the investigation of the historical development is carried out with a number of epistemological questions in mind, concerning, in particular, the transformation process of knowledge associated with the changing worldviews of physics.

Einstein and the Changing Worldviews of Physics is divided into four main parts:

* Part I: At the Limits of the Classical Worldview;

* Part II: Contexts of the Relativity Revolution;

* Part III: The Emergence of the Relativistic Worldview;

* Part IV: A New Worldview in the Making.

The contributions explore various aspects of the emerging relativistic views in modern physics by giving an historical, philosophical, and mathematical account of Einstein’s work, as well as the work of other distinguished physicists in the field. Taken as a whole, the book is focused on the interplay between mathematical concepts and physical ideas throughout history by studying today’s scientific world and how it continues to redefine physics in the 21st century.

Contributors:

A. Ashtekar, E. Battaner, J.E. Beckman, K.A. Brading, T. Dray, J. Eisenstaedt, E. Florido, H.F. Goenner, D. Kennefick, J. Renn, T.A. Ryckman, D.C. Salisbury, J.M. S?nchez-Ron, M. Schemmel, R. Schulmann, B.F. Schutz, J.M.M. Senovilla, A.T. Tolmasquim, R.M. Wald, G. Wolters.

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This volume reviews conceptual conflicts at the foundations of physics now and in the past century. The focus is on the conditions and consequences of Einstein’s pathbreaking achievements that sealed the decline of the classical notions of space, time, radiation, and matter, and resulted in the theory of relativity. Particular attention is paid to the implications of conceptual conflicts for scientific views of the world at large, thus providing the basis for a comparison of the demise of the mechanical worldview at the turn of the 20^th century with the challenges presented by cosmology at the turn of the 21^st century.

Throughout the work, Einstein’s contributions are not seen in isolation but instead set into the wider intellectual context of dealing with the problem of gravitation in the twilight of classical physics; the investigation of the historical development is carried out with a number of epistemological questions in mind, concerning, in particular, the transformation process of knowledge associated with the changing worldviews of physics.

Einstein and the Changing Worldviews of Physics is divided into four main parts:

* Part I: At the Limits of the Classical Worldview;

* Part II: Contexts of the Relativity Revolution;

* Part III: The Emergence of the Relativistic Worldview;

* Part IV: A New Worldview in the Making.

The contributions explore various aspects of the emerging relativistic views in modern physics by giving an historical, philosophical, and mathematical account of Einstein’s work, as well as the work of other distinguished physicists in the field. Taken as a whole, the book is focused on the interplay between mathematical concepts and physical ideas throughout history by studying today’s scientific world and how it continues to redefine physics in the 21st century.

Contributors:

A. Ashtekar, E. Battaner, J.E. Beckman, K.A. Brading, T. Dray, J. Eisenstaedt, E. Florido, H.F. Goenner, D. Kennefick, J. Renn, T.A. Ryckman, D.C. Salisbury, J.M. S?nchez-Ron, M. Schemmel, R. Schulmann, B.F. Schutz, J.M.M. Senovilla, A.T. Tolmasquim, R.M. Wald, G. Wolters.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Theories of Gravitation in the Twilight of Classical Physics....Pages 3-22
The Newtonian Theory of Light Propagation....Pages 23-37
Mach and Einstein, or, Clearing Troubled Waters in the History of Science....Pages 39-57
Front Matter....Pages 59-59
Tilling the Seedbed of Einstein’s Politics: A Pre-1905 Harbinger?....Pages 61-71
The Early Reception of Einstein’s Relativity among British Philosophers....Pages 73-116
Science and Ideology in Einstein’s Visit to South America in 1925....Pages 117-133
The Reception of Einstein’s Relativity Theories in Literature and the Arts (1920–1950)....Pages 135-171
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
Hilbert’s Axiomatic Method and His “Foundations of Physics”: Reconciling Causality with the Axiom of General Invariance....Pages 175-199
Not Only Because of Theory: Dyson, Eddington, and the Competing Myths of the 1919 Eclipse Expedition....Pages 201-232
Peter Havas (1916–2004)....Pages 233-245
Peter Bergmann and the Invention of Constrained Hamiltonian Dynamics....Pages 247-257
Thoughts About a Conceptual Framework for Relativistic Gravity....Pages 259-269
Front Matter....Pages 271-271
Observational Tests of General Relativity: An Historical Look at Measurements Prior to the Advent of Modern Space-Borne Instruments....Pages 273-290
Primordial Magnetic Fields and Cosmic Microwave Background....Pages 291-303
Singularity Theorems in General Relativity: Achievements and Open Questions....Pages 305-316
The History and Present Status of Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime....Pages 317-331
The Border Between Relativity and Quantum Theory....Pages 333-345
The Issue of the Beginning in Quantum Gravity....Pages 347-363

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This volume reviews conceptual conflicts at the foundations of physics now and in the past century. The focus is on the conditions and consequences of Einstein’s pathbreaking achievements that sealed the decline of the classical notions of space, time, radiation, and matter, and resulted in the theory of relativity. Particular attention is paid to the implications of conceptual conflicts for scientific views of the world at large, thus providing the basis for a comparison of the demise of the mechanical worldview at the turn of the 20^th century with the challenges presented by cosmology at the turn of the 21^st century.

Throughout the work, Einstein’s contributions are not seen in isolation but instead set into the wider intellectual context of dealing with the problem of gravitation in the twilight of classical physics; the investigation of the historical development is carried out with a number of epistemological questions in mind, concerning, in particular, the transformation process of knowledge associated with the changing worldviews of physics.

Einstein and the Changing Worldviews of Physics is divided into four main parts:

* Part I: At the Limits of the Classical Worldview;

* Part II: Contexts of the Relativity Revolution;

* Part III: The Emergence of the Relativistic Worldview;

* Part IV: A New Worldview in the Making.

The contributions explore various aspects of the emerging relativistic views in modern physics by giving an historical, philosophical, and mathematical account of Einstein’s work, as well as the work of other distinguished physicists in the field. Taken as a whole, the book is focused on the interplay between mathematical concepts and physical ideas throughout history by studying today’s scientific world and how it continues to redefine physics in the 21st century.

Contributors:

A. Ashtekar, E. Battaner, J.E. Beckman, K.A. Brading, T. Dray, J. Eisenstaedt, E. Florido, H.F. Goenner, D. Kennefick, J. Renn, T.A. Ryckman, D.C. Salisbury, J.M. S?nchez-Ron, M. Schemmel, R. Schulmann, B.F. Schutz, J.M.M. Senovilla, A.T. Tolmasquim, R.M. Wald, G. Wolters.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Theories of Gravitation in the Twilight of Classical Physics....Pages 3-22
The Newtonian Theory of Light Propagation....Pages 23-37
Mach and Einstein, or, Clearing Troubled Waters in the History of Science....Pages 39-57
Front Matter....Pages 59-59
Tilling the Seedbed of Einstein’s Politics: A Pre-1905 Harbinger?....Pages 61-71
The Early Reception of Einstein’s Relativity among British Philosophers....Pages 73-116
Science and Ideology in Einstein’s Visit to South America in 1925....Pages 117-133
The Reception of Einstein’s Relativity Theories in Literature and the Arts (1920–1950)....Pages 135-171
Front Matter....Pages 173-173
Hilbert’s Axiomatic Method and His “Foundations of Physics”: Reconciling Causality with the Axiom of General Invariance....Pages 175-199
Not Only Because of Theory: Dyson, Eddington, and the Competing Myths of the 1919 Eclipse Expedition....Pages 201-232
Peter Havas (1916–2004)....Pages 233-245
Peter Bergmann and the Invention of Constrained Hamiltonian Dynamics....Pages 247-257
Thoughts About a Conceptual Framework for Relativistic Gravity....Pages 259-269
Front Matter....Pages 271-271
Observational Tests of General Relativity: An Historical Look at Measurements Prior to the Advent of Modern Space-Borne Instruments....Pages 273-290
Primordial Magnetic Fields and Cosmic Microwave Background....Pages 291-303
Singularity Theorems in General Relativity: Achievements and Open Questions....Pages 305-316
The History and Present Status of Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime....Pages 317-331
The Border Between Relativity and Quantum Theory....Pages 333-345
The Issue of the Beginning in Quantum Gravity....Pages 347-363
....