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Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein Olivier Darrigol (Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, CNRS, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and OHST, University of California at Berkeley, USA)

Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein By Olivier Darrigol (Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, CNRS, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and OHST, University of California at Berkeley, USA)

Summary

This book is a full, long-term history of relativity thinking in physics, from Galileo's early reflections on the proper reference of mechanical motion to Einstein's exploitation of relativity principles in his theories of special and general relativity.

Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein Summary

Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein by Olivier Darrigol (Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, CNRS, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and OHST, University of California at Berkeley, USA)

Motion is always relative to some thing. Is this thing a concrete body like the earth, is it an abstract space, or is it an imagined frame? Do the laws of physics depend on the choice of reference? It there a choice for which the laws are simplest? Is this choice unique? Is there a physical cause for the choice made? These questions traverse the history of modern physics from Galileo to Einstein. The answers involved Galilean relativity, Newton's absolute space, the purely relational concepts of Descartes, Leibniz, and Mach, and many forgotten uses of relativity principles in mechanics, optics, and electrodynamics - until the relativity theories of Poincare, Einstein, Minkowksi, and Laue radically redefined space and time to satisfy universal kinds of relativity. Accordingly, this book retraces the emergence of relativity principles in early modern mechanics, documents their constructive use in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century mechanics, optics, and electrodynamics, and gives a well-rooted account of the genesis of special and general relativity in the early twentieth century. As an exercise in long-term history, it demonstrates the connectivity of issues and approaches across several centuries, despite enormous changes in context and culture. As an account of the genesis of relativity theories, it brings unprecedented clarity and fullness by broadening the spectrum of resources on which the principal actors drew.

Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein Reviews

This book is not only an accurate history of the physical relativity principles of motion during the last three hundred years, it is also an important book about the cognitive relativity of scientists' understanding of issues that once were challenging but which present day physicists consider commonsense. * Jan Faye, Metascience *
Students and professionals will benefit from access to this unique work by an accomplished researcher. * A Spero, CHOICE *
As an exercise in long-term history, it demonstrates the connectivity of issues and approaches across several centuries, despite enormous changes in context and culture. As an account of the genesis of relativity theories, it brings unprecedented clarity and fullness by broadening the spectrum of resources on which the principal actors drew. * zb Math Open *
This book is not only an accurate history of the physical relativity principles of motion during the last three hundred years, it is also an important book about the cognitive relativity of scientists' understanding of issues that once were challenging but which present-day physicists consider commonsense. * Jan Faye, University of Copenhagen, Metascience *
Truly excellent and fills an important gap in the research landscape on relativity. * Juergen Renn, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin *
Well thought out and could become the definitive work that connects the developments pertinent to relativity from the 17th century to the present. * John D. Norton, University of Pittsburgh *
This first rate work pulls together many historical scientific strands, and is certain to initiate a lively discussion. * Diana Kormos-Buchwald, Caltech *

About Olivier Darrigol (Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, CNRS, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and OHST, University of California at Berkeley, USA)

Olivier Darrigol studied physics at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, the history and philosophy of physics at the Sorbonne and at UC-Berkeley's Office for History of Science and Technology (OHST). He is the author of several books on the history of quantum physics, electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, and optics. He is currently a member of the SPHere research team at CNRS/Paris 7, and a Research Associate at UC-Berkeley's OHST.

Table of Contents

1: Rethinking motion in the seventeenth century 2: Deriving Newton's second law from relativity principles 3: The space-time-inertia tangle 4: The optics of moving bodies 5: The electrodynamics of moving bodies 6: Poincare's relativity theory 7: The relativity theory of Einstein, Minkowski, and Laue 8: From Riemann to Ricci 9: Mostly Einstein: To general relativity 10: Mesh and measure in early general relativity 11: Epilogue

Additional information

GOR013877912
9780192849533
0192849530
Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein by Olivier Darrigol (Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, Research Director at CNRS and Research Scholar at OHST, CNRS, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and OHST, University of California at Berkeley, USA)
Used - Like New
Hardback
Oxford University Press
2021-12-22
496
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
The book has been read, but looks new. The book cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket is included if applicable. No missing or damaged pages, no tears, possible very minimal creasing, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins

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