Jeremy Butterfield (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263464
- eISBN:
- 9780191734748
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263464.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, General
These nine chapters, commissioned on the initiative of the Philosophy section of the British Academy, address fundamental questions about time in philosophy, physics, linguistics, and psychology. Are ...
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These nine chapters, commissioned on the initiative of the Philosophy section of the British Academy, address fundamental questions about time in philosophy, physics, linguistics, and psychology. Are there facts about the future? Could we affect the past? Physics, general relativity and quantum theory give contradictory treatments of time. So in the search for a theory of quantum gravity, which should give way: general relativity or quantum theory? In linguistics and psychology, how does our language represent time, and how do our minds keep track of it?Less
These nine chapters, commissioned on the initiative of the Philosophy section of the British Academy, address fundamental questions about time in philosophy, physics, linguistics, and psychology. Are there facts about the future? Could we affect the past? Physics, general relativity and quantum theory give contradictory treatments of time. So in the search for a theory of quantum gravity, which should give way: general relativity or quantum theory? In linguistics and psychology, how does our language represent time, and how do our minds keep track of it?
Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199230723
- eISBN:
- 9780191710872
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199230723.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
General Relativity has passed all experimental and observational tests to model the motion of isolated bodies with strong gravitational fields, though the mathematical and numerical study of these ...
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General Relativity has passed all experimental and observational tests to model the motion of isolated bodies with strong gravitational fields, though the mathematical and numerical study of these motions is still in its infancy. It is believed that General Relativity models our cosmos, with a manifold of dimensions possibly greater than four and debatable topology opening a vast field of investigation for mathematicians and physicists alike. Remarkable conjectures have been proposed, many results have been obtained but many fundamental questions remain open. This book overviews the basic ideas in General Relativity, introduces the necessary mathematics and discusses some of the key open questions in the field.Less
General Relativity has passed all experimental and observational tests to model the motion of isolated bodies with strong gravitational fields, though the mathematical and numerical study of these motions is still in its infancy. It is believed that General Relativity models our cosmos, with a manifold of dimensions possibly greater than four and debatable topology opening a vast field of investigation for mathematicians and physicists alike. Remarkable conjectures have been proposed, many results have been obtained but many fundamental questions remain open. This book overviews the basic ideas in General Relativity, introduces the necessary mathematics and discusses some of the key open questions in the field.
Thomas Ryckman
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195177176
- eISBN:
- 9780199835324
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195177177.003.0002
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
A tension within Kant’s Transcendental Analytic, regarding the combination of the “active” faculty of understanding with the “passive” faculty of sensibility, underlies the distinct appraisals in ...
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A tension within Kant’s Transcendental Analytic, regarding the combination of the “active” faculty of understanding with the “passive” faculty of sensibility, underlies the distinct appraisals in 1920 by Hans Reichenbach and Ernst Cassirer of constitutive but “relativized” a priori principles in the GTR. Reichenbach’s “principles of coordination” presuppose Schlick’s conception of cognition as a coordination of formal concepts to objects of perceptual experience, and are shown to be consonant only with the commitments of scientific realism. Cassirer’s rejection of the “active”/“passive” dichotomy promoted his conception of general covariance as a high level principle of objectivity, much in accord with Einstein’s own later views, as recently articulated in the literature on the “Hole Argument.” In particular, the principle of general covariance is shown to place significant constraints on field theories, a point noted by David Hilbert and implicit in the work of Emmy Noether.Less
A tension within Kant’s Transcendental Analytic, regarding the combination of the “active” faculty of understanding with the “passive” faculty of sensibility, underlies the distinct appraisals in 1920 by Hans Reichenbach and Ernst Cassirer of constitutive but “relativized” a priori principles in the GTR. Reichenbach’s “principles of coordination” presuppose Schlick’s conception of cognition as a coordination of formal concepts to objects of perceptual experience, and are shown to be consonant only with the commitments of scientific realism. Cassirer’s rejection of the “active”/“passive” dichotomy promoted his conception of general covariance as a high level principle of objectivity, much in accord with Einstein’s own later views, as recently articulated in the literature on the “Hole Argument.” In particular, the principle of general covariance is shown to place significant constraints on field theories, a point noted by David Hilbert and implicit in the work of Emmy Noether.
Jeremy Butterfield and Chris Isham
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263464
- eISBN:
- 9780191734748
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263464.003.0006
- Subject:
- Philosophy, General
This chapter discusses the idea that the treatment of time in present-day physical theories, general relativity and quantum theory, might be an approximation to a very different treatment in the as ...
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This chapter discusses the idea that the treatment of time in present-day physical theories, general relativity and quantum theory, might be an approximation to a very different treatment in the as yet unknown quantum theory of gravity. It considers the general idea that one theory could be emergent from another, emergence being a relation analogous to, but weaker than, intertheoretic reduction. It also gives a broad description of the search for a quantum theory of gravity and some of its interpretative problems. Thereafter, the discussion focuses on the emergence of time in two specific quantum gravity programmes: quantum geometrodynamics and the Euclidean programme. It also addresses the so-called ‘problem of time’. It is really a cluster of problems; technical and conceptual, arising from how time is treated very differently in general relativity and quantum theory.Less
This chapter discusses the idea that the treatment of time in present-day physical theories, general relativity and quantum theory, might be an approximation to a very different treatment in the as yet unknown quantum theory of gravity. It considers the general idea that one theory could be emergent from another, emergence being a relation analogous to, but weaker than, intertheoretic reduction. It also gives a broad description of the search for a quantum theory of gravity and some of its interpretative problems. Thereafter, the discussion focuses on the emergence of time in two specific quantum gravity programmes: quantum geometrodynamics and the Euclidean programme. It also addresses the so-called ‘problem of time’. It is really a cluster of problems; technical and conceptual, arising from how time is treated very differently in general relativity and quantum theory.
Hideki Asada, Toshifumi Futamase, and Peter Hogan
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199584109
- eISBN:
- 9780191723421
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199584109.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Theoretical, Computational, and Statistical Physics
This book focuses attention on two aspects of equations of motion in general relativity: the motion of extended bodies(stars) and the motion of small black holes. The objective is to offer a guide to ...
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This book focuses attention on two aspects of equations of motion in general relativity: the motion of extended bodies(stars) and the motion of small black holes. The objective is to offer a guide to prospective researchers into these areas of general relativity and to point out open questions and topics that are ripe for further development. It is over forty years since a text on this subject was published and in that time the research area of equations of motion in general relativity has undergone extraordinary development stimulated by the discovery of the binary neutron star PSR 1913+16 in 1974, which was the first isolated gravitating system found in which general relativity plays a fundamental role in describing theoretically its evolution, and more recently by the advent of kilometre size interferometric gravitational wave detectors which are expected to detect gravitational waves produced by coalescing binary neutron stars. Included in the book are novel topics in general relativistic celestial mechanics: choreographic configurations and the relativistic motion of small black holes.Less
This book focuses attention on two aspects of equations of motion in general relativity: the motion of extended bodies(stars) and the motion of small black holes. The objective is to offer a guide to prospective researchers into these areas of general relativity and to point out open questions and topics that are ripe for further development. It is over forty years since a text on this subject was published and in that time the research area of equations of motion in general relativity has undergone extraordinary development stimulated by the discovery of the binary neutron star PSR 1913+16 in 1974, which was the first isolated gravitating system found in which general relativity plays a fundamental role in describing theoretically its evolution, and more recently by the advent of kilometre size interferometric gravitational wave detectors which are expected to detect gravitational waves produced by coalescing binary neutron stars. Included in the book are novel topics in general relativistic celestial mechanics: choreographic configurations and the relativistic motion of small black holes.
Thomas Ryckman
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195177176
- eISBN:
- 9780199835324
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195177177.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
It is shown how the epistemological thesis that physics can provide knowledge only of the structure of the physical world emerged in Arthur Eddington’s semi-popular, philosophical and technical ...
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It is shown how the epistemological thesis that physics can provide knowledge only of the structure of the physical world emerged in Arthur Eddington’s semi-popular, philosophical and technical writings on the general theory of relativity. The implicitly Kantian character of Eddington’s conception of “world building” in a geometrized physics is developed through examination of Eddington’s two principal works on general relativity. Eddington’s structuralism is contrasted with that associated with Bertrand Russell, and his conception of the mind’s role in “world building” is linked to earlier views of the mathematician William Kingdom Clifford.Less
It is shown how the epistemological thesis that physics can provide knowledge only of the structure of the physical world emerged in Arthur Eddington’s semi-popular, philosophical and technical writings on the general theory of relativity. The implicitly Kantian character of Eddington’s conception of “world building” in a geometrized physics is developed through examination of Eddington’s two principal works on general relativity. Eddington’s structuralism is contrasted with that associated with Bertrand Russell, and his conception of the mind’s role in “world building” is linked to earlier views of the mathematician William Kingdom Clifford.
Dean Rickles, Steven French, and Juha T. Saatsi (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199269693
- eISBN:
- 9780191699436
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199269693.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Quantum gravity is the name given to a theory that unites general relativity — Einstein's theory of gravitation and spacetime — with quantum field theory, our framework for describing ...
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Quantum gravity is the name given to a theory that unites general relativity — Einstein's theory of gravitation and spacetime — with quantum field theory, our framework for describing non-gravitational forces. This book brings together philosophers and physicists to discuss a range of conceptual issues that surface in the effort to unite these theories, focusing in particular on the ontological nature of the spacetime that results. Although there has been a great deal written about quantum gravity from the perspective of physicists and mathematicians, very little attention has been paid to the philosophical aspects. This book closes that gap, with chapters written by some of the leading researchers in the field. Individual chapters defend or attack a structuralist perspective on the fundamental ontologies of our physical theories, which offers the possibility of shedding new light on a number of foundational problems.Less
Quantum gravity is the name given to a theory that unites general relativity — Einstein's theory of gravitation and spacetime — with quantum field theory, our framework for describing non-gravitational forces. This book brings together philosophers and physicists to discuss a range of conceptual issues that surface in the effort to unite these theories, focusing in particular on the ontological nature of the spacetime that results. Although there has been a great deal written about quantum gravity from the perspective of physicists and mathematicians, very little attention has been paid to the philosophical aspects. This book closes that gap, with chapters written by some of the leading researchers in the field. Individual chapters defend or attack a structuralist perspective on the fundamental ontologies of our physical theories, which offers the possibility of shedding new light on a number of foundational problems.
Julian Barbour
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263464
- eISBN:
- 9780191734748
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263464.003.0005
- Subject:
- Philosophy, General
This chapter charts the complicated legacy of Mach's critique of absolute space and time. In 1902, Poincaré achieved a clear formulation of what a truly Machian mechanics should accomplish: it should ...
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This chapter charts the complicated legacy of Mach's critique of absolute space and time. In 1902, Poincaré achieved a clear formulation of what a truly Machian mechanics should accomplish: it should permit a unique prediction of future motion on the basis of just the relative separations of bodies, and these separations' rates of change. However, this work made no impact on Einstein, despite his admiration for Mach. The discussion explains how several independent ideas that dominated Einstein's thinking about space, time and matter led him to a quite different interpretation (or misinterpretation) of Mach. This chapter also argues that, despite the misinterpretation, general relativity is perfectly Machian (in a sense that is the analogue for field theories of Poincaré's criterion), and that this shows general relativity to be ‘timeless’ in a certain sense, which is suggestive of quantum gravity.Less
This chapter charts the complicated legacy of Mach's critique of absolute space and time. In 1902, Poincaré achieved a clear formulation of what a truly Machian mechanics should accomplish: it should permit a unique prediction of future motion on the basis of just the relative separations of bodies, and these separations' rates of change. However, this work made no impact on Einstein, despite his admiration for Mach. The discussion explains how several independent ideas that dominated Einstein's thinking about space, time and matter led him to a quite different interpretation (or misinterpretation) of Mach. This chapter also argues that, despite the misinterpretation, general relativity is perfectly Machian (in a sense that is the analogue for field theories of Poincaré's criterion), and that this shows general relativity to be ‘timeless’ in a certain sense, which is suggestive of quantum gravity.
Richard Healey
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199287963
- eISBN:
- 9780191713453
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199287963.003.0004
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter presents and defends an interpretation of classical gauge theories, including electromagnetism. It argues that Yang-Mills gauge theories (but not general relativity) are best understood ...
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This chapter presents and defends an interpretation of classical gauge theories, including electromagnetism. It argues that Yang-Mills gauge theories (but not general relativity) are best understood as postulating non-localized properties of loops in space (or more generally space-time). It raises both semantic and epistemological objections to an alternative interpretation in terms of localized gauge properties, and argues that the empirical success of a classical Yang-Mills gauge theory warrants an inference to the existence of a certain kind of non-localized property. It responds to both epistemological and metaphysical objections to this conclusion, and draws more general morals for both metaphysics and scientific epistemology.Less
This chapter presents and defends an interpretation of classical gauge theories, including electromagnetism. It argues that Yang-Mills gauge theories (but not general relativity) are best understood as postulating non-localized properties of loops in space (or more generally space-time). It raises both semantic and epistemological objections to an alternative interpretation in terms of localized gauge properties, and argues that the empirical success of a classical Yang-Mills gauge theory warrants an inference to the existence of a certain kind of non-localized property. It responds to both epistemological and metaphysical objections to this conclusion, and draws more general morals for both metaphysics and scientific epistemology.
Louis A. Girifalco
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199228966
- eISBN:
- 9780191711183
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199228966.003.0011
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
Albert Einstein is the only scientist who's genius was comparable to that of Newton's. Their personalities and lifestyles were completely different, but they were both consumed by the desire to know. ...
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Albert Einstein is the only scientist who's genius was comparable to that of Newton's. Their personalities and lifestyles were completely different, but they were both consumed by the desire to know. In 1905, the miracle year, Einstein gave quantum mechanics its true beginning by working out the theory of photoelectricity, created a new statistical mechanics by studying Brownian motion, gave a fully formed theory of special relativity, and derived his famous mass-energy equation. This monumental accomplishment was matched only by Newton's work during the plague years. A decade later, Einstein single handedly developed general relativity, the deepest and most beautiful of all scientific theories.Less
Albert Einstein is the only scientist who's genius was comparable to that of Newton's. Their personalities and lifestyles were completely different, but they were both consumed by the desire to know. In 1905, the miracle year, Einstein gave quantum mechanics its true beginning by working out the theory of photoelectricity, created a new statistical mechanics by studying Brownian motion, gave a fully formed theory of special relativity, and derived his famous mass-energy equation. This monumental accomplishment was matched only by Newton's work during the plague years. A decade later, Einstein single handedly developed general relativity, the deepest and most beautiful of all scientific theories.
Louis A. Girifalco
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199228966
- eISBN:
- 9780191711183
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199228966.003.0017
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
The validity suggested by beauty must be verified by experiment. Three major predictions of general relativity are: gravitational fields bend light, slow down time beyond the effect of special ...
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The validity suggested by beauty must be verified by experiment. Three major predictions of general relativity are: gravitational fields bend light, slow down time beyond the effect of special relativity, and slightly alter the orbits of the planets. The first effect was spectacularly verified by the observation of light passing near the Sun during a solar eclipse. Eddington's study of the bending of light, more than anything else, made Einstein a world celebrity. Precise time measurements showed that gravity indeed does slow down time. Also, previously mysterious discrepancies in the orbits of Mercury were resolved by general relativity. The predictions of general relativity have been shown to be true.Less
The validity suggested by beauty must be verified by experiment. Three major predictions of general relativity are: gravitational fields bend light, slow down time beyond the effect of special relativity, and slightly alter the orbits of the planets. The first effect was spectacularly verified by the observation of light passing near the Sun during a solar eclipse. Eddington's study of the bending of light, more than anything else, made Einstein a world celebrity. Precise time measurements showed that gravity indeed does slow down time. Also, previously mysterious discrepancies in the orbits of Mercury were resolved by general relativity. The predictions of general relativity have been shown to be true.
John Stachel
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199269693
- eISBN:
- 9780191699436
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199269693.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter reviews various interpretations of structural realism and then adopts a definition that allows both relations between things that are already individuated (‘relations between things’) ...
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This chapter reviews various interpretations of structural realism and then adopts a definition that allows both relations between things that are already individuated (‘relations between things’) and relations that individuate previously un-individuated entities (‘things between relations’). Since both spacetime points in general relativity and elementary particles in quantum theory fall into the latter category, the chapter proposes a principle of maximal permutability as a criterion for the fundamental entities of any future theory of ‘quantum gravity’; i.e., a theory yielding both general relativity and quantum field theory in appropriate limits. It reviews a number of current candidates for such a theory. The chapter ends by suggesting a new approach to the question of which spacetime structures should be quantized.Less
This chapter reviews various interpretations of structural realism and then adopts a definition that allows both relations between things that are already individuated (‘relations between things’) and relations that individuate previously un-individuated entities (‘things between relations’). Since both spacetime points in general relativity and elementary particles in quantum theory fall into the latter category, the chapter proposes a principle of maximal permutability as a criterion for the fundamental entities of any future theory of ‘quantum gravity’; i.e., a theory yielding both general relativity and quantum field theory in appropriate limits. It reviews a number of current candidates for such a theory. The chapter ends by suggesting a new approach to the question of which spacetime structures should be quantized.
Louis A. Girifalco
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199228966
- eISBN:
- 9780191711183
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199228966.003.0015
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
General relativity is the extension of the ideas of relativity to accelerated motion. It starts with the premise that the laws of physics should be the same for all, whatever the state of motion. It ...
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General relativity is the extension of the ideas of relativity to accelerated motion. It starts with the premise that the laws of physics should be the same for all, whatever the state of motion. It then builds on the observation that an elevator falling in a gravitational field experiences no forces, and that a gravitational field is fully equivalent to an elevator being accelerated upwards. From these common-place foundations, Einstein found that mass causes a curvature in space-time and that gravity is the result of bodies moving along this curvature. Gravitational forces are reduced to the geometry of space-time.Less
General relativity is the extension of the ideas of relativity to accelerated motion. It starts with the premise that the laws of physics should be the same for all, whatever the state of motion. It then builds on the observation that an elevator falling in a gravitational field experiences no forces, and that a gravitational field is fully equivalent to an elevator being accelerated upwards. From these common-place foundations, Einstein found that mass causes a curvature in space-time and that gravity is the result of bodies moving along this curvature. Gravitational forces are reduced to the geometry of space-time.
Thomas Ryckman
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195177176
- eISBN:
- 9780199835324
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195177177.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Mortiz Schlick’s article of this title was highly influential in convincing several generations of philosophers that GTR outrightly falsified any variety of Kantian epistemology. In fact, the ...
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Mortiz Schlick’s article of this title was highly influential in convincing several generations of philosophers that GTR outrightly falsified any variety of Kantian epistemology. In fact, the empiricism Schlick countered to transcendental idealism had not yet appeared in his previous writings but was quickly cobbled together from disparate elements: Henri Poincaré’s geometric conventionalism and selective readings of Einstein’s “Geometry and Experience” and earlier texts of Hermann von Helmholtz. The result of Schlick’s improvisation is that the empiricist interpretation of the spacetime metric rests on conventions regarding the behavior of rigid rods and clocks.Less
Mortiz Schlick’s article of this title was highly influential in convincing several generations of philosophers that GTR outrightly falsified any variety of Kantian epistemology. In fact, the empiricism Schlick countered to transcendental idealism had not yet appeared in his previous writings but was quickly cobbled together from disparate elements: Henri Poincaré’s geometric conventionalism and selective readings of Einstein’s “Geometry and Experience” and earlier texts of Hermann von Helmholtz. The result of Schlick’s improvisation is that the empiricist interpretation of the spacetime metric rests on conventions regarding the behavior of rigid rods and clocks.
Michael Munowitz
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195167375
- eISBN:
- 9780199787104
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195167375.003.0005
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
Newtonian mechanics is revisited in the light of Einsteinian relativity, and the repercussions shake physics to its core. Special relativity, by placing all inertial observers on the same footing, ...
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Newtonian mechanics is revisited in the light of Einsteinian relativity, and the repercussions shake physics to its core. Special relativity, by placing all inertial observers on the same footing, leads to the equivalence of mass and energy: E = mc2 . General relativity, by granting the same rights to observers even in accelerated reference frames, leads to a revolutionary new theory of gravity: a force-free warping of space-time in the presence of mass.Less
Newtonian mechanics is revisited in the light of Einsteinian relativity, and the repercussions shake physics to its core. Special relativity, by placing all inertial observers on the same footing, leads to the equivalence of mass and energy: E = mc2 . General relativity, by granting the same rights to observers even in accelerated reference frames, leads to a revolutionary new theory of gravity: a force-free warping of space-time in the presence of mass.
Mauro Dorato and Massimo Pauri
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199269693
- eISBN:
- 9780191699436
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199269693.003.0005
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter shows that interpretative issues belonging to classical General Relativity (GR) might be preliminary to a deeper understanding of conceptual problems stemming from ongoing attempts at ...
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This chapter shows that interpretative issues belonging to classical General Relativity (GR) might be preliminary to a deeper understanding of conceptual problems stemming from ongoing attempts at constructing a quantum theory of gravity. It focuses on the meaning of general covariance and the related question of the identity of points, by basing the investigation on the Hamiltonian formulation of GR as applied to a particular class of spacetimes. In particular, it argues that the adoption of a specific gauge-fixing within the canonical reduction of Arnowitt–Deser–Misner metric gravity provides a new solution to the debate between substantivalists and relationists, by suggesting a tertium quid between these two age-old positions. Such a third position enables the evaluation of the controversial relationship between entity realism and structural realism in a well-defined case study. After indicating the possible developments of this approach in Quantum Gravity, the chapter discusses the structuralist and holistic features of the class of spacetime models that are used in the above-mentioned canonical reduction.Less
This chapter shows that interpretative issues belonging to classical General Relativity (GR) might be preliminary to a deeper understanding of conceptual problems stemming from ongoing attempts at constructing a quantum theory of gravity. It focuses on the meaning of general covariance and the related question of the identity of points, by basing the investigation on the Hamiltonian formulation of GR as applied to a particular class of spacetimes. In particular, it argues that the adoption of a specific gauge-fixing within the canonical reduction of Arnowitt–Deser–Misner metric gravity provides a new solution to the debate between substantivalists and relationists, by suggesting a tertium quid between these two age-old positions. Such a third position enables the evaluation of the controversial relationship between entity realism and structural realism in a well-defined case study. After indicating the possible developments of this approach in Quantum Gravity, the chapter discusses the structuralist and holistic features of the class of spacetime models that are used in the above-mentioned canonical reduction.
William L. Harper
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199570409
- eISBN:
- 9780191728679
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199570409.003.0010
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Part I. Distinctive features of Newton’s method: Successively more accurate approximations and increasing empirical support from measurements. Part II. The Mercury perihelion problem: A proposal to ...
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Part I. Distinctive features of Newton’s method: Successively more accurate approximations and increasing empirical support from measurements. Part II. The Mercury perihelion problem: A proposal to alter the inverse-square law ruled out by a more precise measurement. Einstein’s theory accounts for the extra precession and recovers the successful measurements of Newton’s theory. An alternative to general relativity that would answer a new challenge from Mercury is ruled out by a more precise measurement. Part III. Newton does not require or endorse scientific progress as progress toward Laplace’s ideal limit of a final theory. Part IV. Newton’s conception of scientific progress through successively more accurate approximations is not undermined by the classic argument against convergent realism. Part V: Agreeing measurements from diverse phenomena play a decisive role of in transforming dark energy from a dubious hypothesis into part of the accepted background framework guiding empirical research in cosmology today.Less
Part I. Distinctive features of Newton’s method: Successively more accurate approximations and increasing empirical support from measurements. Part II. The Mercury perihelion problem: A proposal to alter the inverse-square law ruled out by a more precise measurement. Einstein’s theory accounts for the extra precession and recovers the successful measurements of Newton’s theory. An alternative to general relativity that would answer a new challenge from Mercury is ruled out by a more precise measurement. Part III. Newton does not require or endorse scientific progress as progress toward Laplace’s ideal limit of a final theory. Part IV. Newton’s conception of scientific progress through successively more accurate approximations is not undermined by the classic argument against convergent realism. Part V: Agreeing measurements from diverse phenomena play a decisive role of in transforming dark energy from a dubious hypothesis into part of the accepted background framework guiding empirical research in cosmology today.
Ta-Pei Cheng
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199573639
- eISBN:
- 9780191722448
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199573639.003.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
Relativity means that physically it is impossible to detect absolute motion. This can be stated as a “symmetry in physics”. Special relativity (SR) is the symmetry with respect to coordinate ...
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Relativity means that physically it is impossible to detect absolute motion. This can be stated as a “symmetry in physics”. Special relativity (SR) is the symmetry with respect to coordinate transformations among inertial frames, general relativity (GR) among more general frames, including the accelerating coordinate systems. GR is also the relativistic theory of gravitation, and SR is valid only in the absence of gravity. Einstein's motivations to develop GR are reviewed, and his basic idea of curved spacetime as the gravitation field is outlined. Relativity represents a new understanding of space and time. GR provides the natural conceptual framework for cosmology. Experimental foundation of GR will be emphasized in our presentation. The necessary mathematics is introduced as it is needed.Less
Relativity means that physically it is impossible to detect absolute motion. This can be stated as a “symmetry in physics”. Special relativity (SR) is the symmetry with respect to coordinate transformations among inertial frames, general relativity (GR) among more general frames, including the accelerating coordinate systems. GR is also the relativistic theory of gravitation, and SR is valid only in the absence of gravity. Einstein's motivations to develop GR are reviewed, and his basic idea of curved spacetime as the gravitation field is outlined. Relativity represents a new understanding of space and time. GR provides the natural conceptual framework for cosmology. Experimental foundation of GR will be emphasized in our presentation. The necessary mathematics is introduced as it is needed.
Hanoch Gutfreund and Jürgen Renn
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691175812
- eISBN:
- 9781400865765
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691175812.003.0003
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
This section presents annotations of the manuscript of Albert Einstein's canonical 1916 paper on the general theory of relativity. It begins with a discussion of the foundation of the general theory ...
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This section presents annotations of the manuscript of Albert Einstein's canonical 1916 paper on the general theory of relativity. It begins with a discussion of the foundation of the general theory of relativity, taking into account Einstein's fundamental considerations on the postulate of relativity, and more specifically why he went beyond the special theory of relativity. It then considers the spacetime continuum, explaining the role of coordinates in the new theory of gravitation. It also describes tensors of the second and higher ranks, multiplication of tensors, the equation of the geodetic line, the formation of tensors by differentiation, equations of motion of a material point in the gravitational field, the general form of the field equations of gravitation, and the laws of conservation in the general case. Finally, the behavior of rods and clocks in the static gravitational field is examined.Less
This section presents annotations of the manuscript of Albert Einstein's canonical 1916 paper on the general theory of relativity. It begins with a discussion of the foundation of the general theory of relativity, taking into account Einstein's fundamental considerations on the postulate of relativity, and more specifically why he went beyond the special theory of relativity. It then considers the spacetime continuum, explaining the role of coordinates in the new theory of gravitation. It also describes tensors of the second and higher ranks, multiplication of tensors, the equation of the geodetic line, the formation of tensors by differentiation, equations of motion of a material point in the gravitational field, the general form of the field equations of gravitation, and the laws of conservation in the general case. Finally, the behavior of rods and clocks in the static gravitational field is examined.
Thomas Ryckman
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195177176
- eISBN:
- 9780199835324
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195177177.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
The general theory of relativity (GTR) brought a revolutionary transformation in philosophical as well as physical outlook. The philosopher Mortiz Schick, student of Max Planck, played a pivotal role ...
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The general theory of relativity (GTR) brought a revolutionary transformation in philosophical as well as physical outlook. The philosopher Mortiz Schick, student of Max Planck, played a pivotal role in fashioning the received view that GTR implied the untenability of any type of Kantian philosophy. Schlick’s assessment ignored the philosophically motivated contributions to GTR by Hermann Weyl and Arthur Eddington. Paul Dirac in 1931 recognized the significance of a new method of a priori mathematical speculation in theoretical physics, tying it to Eddington (and to Weyl).Less
The general theory of relativity (GTR) brought a revolutionary transformation in philosophical as well as physical outlook. The philosopher Mortiz Schick, student of Max Planck, played a pivotal role in fashioning the received view that GTR implied the untenability of any type of Kantian philosophy. Schlick’s assessment ignored the philosophically motivated contributions to GTR by Hermann Weyl and Arthur Eddington. Paul Dirac in 1931 recognized the significance of a new method of a priori mathematical speculation in theoretical physics, tying it to Eddington (and to Weyl).
