Around 1936, Einstein wrote to his close friend Max Born telling him that, together with Nathan R... more Around 1936, Einstein wrote to his close friend Max Born telling him that, together with Nathan Rosen, he had arrived at the interesting result that gravitational waves did not exist, though they had been assumed a certainty to the first approximation. He finally had found a mistake in his 1936 paper with Rosen and believed that gravitational waves do exist. However, in 1938, Einstein again obtained the result that there could be no gravitational waves!
In his 1916 groundbreaking general relativity paper Einstein had imposed a restrictive coordinate... more In his 1916 groundbreaking general relativity paper Einstein had imposed a restrictive coordinate condition; his field equations were valid for a system –g = 1. Later, Einstein published a paper on gravitational waves. The solution presented in this paper did not satisfy the above restrictive condition. In his gravitational waves paper, Einstein concluded that gravitational fields propagate at the speed of light. The solution is the Minkowski flat metric plus a small disturbance propagating in a flat space-time. Einstein calculated the small deviation from Minkowski metric in a manner analogous to that of retarded potentials in electrodynamics. However, in obtaining the above derivation, Einstein made a mathematical error. This error caused him to obtain three different types of waves compatible with his approximate field equations: longitudinal waves, transverse waves and a new type of wave. Einstein added an Addendum in which he suggested that in a system –g = 1 only waves of the third type occur and these waves transport energy. He became obsessed with his system –g = 1. Einstein's colleagues demonstrated to him that in the coordinate system –g = 1 the gravitational wave of a mass point carry no energy, but Einstein tried to persuade them that he had actually not made a mistake in his gravitational waves paper. Einstein, however, eventually accepted his colleagues results and dropped the restrictive condition –g = 1. This finally led him to discover plane transverse gravitational waves.
This book focuses on Albert Einstein and his interactions with, and responses to, various scienti... more This book focuses on Albert Einstein and his interactions with, and responses to, various scientists, both famous and lesser-known. It takes as its starting point that the discussions between Einstein and other scientists all represented a contribution to the edifice of general relativity and relativistic cosmology. These scientists with whom Einstein implicitly or explicitly interacted form a complicated web of collaboration, which this study explores, focusing on their implicit and explicit responses to Einstein's work. This analysis uncovers latent undercurrents, indiscernible to other approaches to tracking the intellectual pathway of Einstein to his general theory of relativity. The interconnections and interactions presented here reveal the central figures who influenced Einstein during this intellectual period. Despite current approaches to history presupposing that the efforts of scientists such as Max Abraham and Gunnar Nordström, which differed from Einstein’s own views, be relegated to the background, this book shows that they all had an impact on the development of Einstein’s theories, stressing the limits of approaches focusing solely on Einstein. As such, General Relativity Conflict and Rivalries proves that the general theory of relativity was not developed as a single, coherent construction by an isolated, brooding individual, but, rather, that it came to fruition through Einstein's conflicts and interactions with other scientists, and was consolidated by his creative processes during these exchanges.
Einstein's first mention of the uniformly rotating disk in print was in 1912, in his paper dealin... more Einstein's first mention of the uniformly rotating disk in print was in 1912, in his paper dealing with the static gravitational fields. After the 1912 paper, the rotating disk problem occurred in Einstein's writings only in a 1916 review paper, "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity". Einstein did not mention the rotating disk problem in any of his papers on gravitation theory from 1912 until 1916. However, between 1912 and 1914 Einstein invoked the Hole Argument. I discuss the possible connection between the 1912 rotating disk problem and the Hole Argument and the connection between the 1916 rotating disk problem and the Point Coincident Argument. Finally, according to Mach's ideas we see that the possibility of an empty hole is unacceptable. In 1916 Einstein replaced the Hole Argument with the Point Coincidence Argument and later in 1918 with Mach's principle.
Einstein's biographer Albrecht Fölsing explained: Einstein presented his field equations on Novem... more Einstein's biographer Albrecht Fölsing explained: Einstein presented his field equations on November 25, 1915, but six days earlier, on November 20, Hilbert had derived the identical field equations for which Einstein had been searching such a long time. On November 18 Hilbert had sent Einstein a letter with a certain draft, and Fölsing asked about this possible draft: "Could Einstein, casting his eye over this paper, have discovered the term which was still lacking in his own equations, and thus 'nostrified' Hilbert?" Historical evidence support a scenario according to which Einstein discovered his final field equations by "casting his eye over" his own previous works. In November 4, 1915 Einstein wrote the components of the gravitational field and showed that a material point in a gravitational field moves on a geodesic line in space-time, the equation of which is written in terms of the Christoffel symbols. Einstein found it advantageous to use for the components of the gravitational field the Christoffel symbols. Einstein had already basically possessed the field equations in 1912, but had not recognized the formal importance of the Christoffel symbols as the components of the gravitational field. Einstein probably found the final form of the generally covariant field equations by manipulating his own (November 4, 1915) equations. Findings of other historians seem to support the scenario according to which Einstein did not "nostrify" Hilbert.
Between 1905 and 1907, Einstein first tried to extend the special theory of relativity in such a ... more Between 1905 and 1907, Einstein first tried to extend the special theory of relativity in such a way so as to explain gravitational phenomena. This was the most natural and simplest path to be taken. These investigations did not fit in with Galileo's law of free fall. This law, which may also be formulated as the law of the equality of inertial and gravitational mass, was illuminating Einstein, and he suspected that in it must lie the key to a deeper understanding of inertia and gravitation. Einstein's 1907 breakthrough was to consider Galileo's law of free fall as a powerful argument in favor of expanding the principle of relativity to systems moving non-uniformly relative to each other. Einstein realized that he might be able to generalize the principle of relativity when guided by Galileo's law of free fall; for if one body fell differently from all others in the gravitational field, then with the help of this body an observer in free fall (with all other bodies) could find out that he was falling in a gravitational field.
Around 1936, Einstein wrote to his close friend Max Born telling him that, together with Nathan R... more Around 1936, Einstein wrote to his close friend Max Born telling him that, together with Nathan Rosen, he had arrived at the interesting result that gravitational waves did not exist, though they had been assumed a certainty to the first approximation. He finally had found a mistake in his 1936 paper with Rosen and believed that gravitational waves do exist. However, in 1938, Einstein again obtained the result that there could be no gravitational waves!
In his 1916 groundbreaking general relativity paper Einstein had imposed a restrictive coordinate... more In his 1916 groundbreaking general relativity paper Einstein had imposed a restrictive coordinate condition; his field equations were valid for a system –g = 1. Later, Einstein published a paper on gravitational waves. The solution presented in this paper did not satisfy the above restrictive condition. In his gravitational waves paper, Einstein concluded that gravitational fields propagate at the speed of light. The solution is the Minkowski flat metric plus a small disturbance propagating in a flat space-time. Einstein calculated the small deviation from Minkowski metric in a manner analogous to that of retarded potentials in electrodynamics. However, in obtaining the above derivation, Einstein made a mathematical error. This error caused him to obtain three different types of waves compatible with his approximate field equations: longitudinal waves, transverse waves and a new type of wave. Einstein added an Addendum in which he suggested that in a system –g = 1 only waves of the third type occur and these waves transport energy. He became obsessed with his system –g = 1. Einstein's colleagues demonstrated to him that in the coordinate system –g = 1 the gravitational wave of a mass point carry no energy, but Einstein tried to persuade them that he had actually not made a mistake in his gravitational waves paper. Einstein, however, eventually accepted his colleagues results and dropped the restrictive condition –g = 1. This finally led him to discover plane transverse gravitational waves.
This book focuses on Albert Einstein and his interactions with, and responses to, various scienti... more This book focuses on Albert Einstein and his interactions with, and responses to, various scientists, both famous and lesser-known. It takes as its starting point that the discussions between Einstein and other scientists all represented a contribution to the edifice of general relativity and relativistic cosmology. These scientists with whom Einstein implicitly or explicitly interacted form a complicated web of collaboration, which this study explores, focusing on their implicit and explicit responses to Einstein's work. This analysis uncovers latent undercurrents, indiscernible to other approaches to tracking the intellectual pathway of Einstein to his general theory of relativity. The interconnections and interactions presented here reveal the central figures who influenced Einstein during this intellectual period. Despite current approaches to history presupposing that the efforts of scientists such as Max Abraham and Gunnar Nordström, which differed from Einstein’s own views, be relegated to the background, this book shows that they all had an impact on the development of Einstein’s theories, stressing the limits of approaches focusing solely on Einstein. As such, General Relativity Conflict and Rivalries proves that the general theory of relativity was not developed as a single, coherent construction by an isolated, brooding individual, but, rather, that it came to fruition through Einstein's conflicts and interactions with other scientists, and was consolidated by his creative processes during these exchanges.
Einstein's first mention of the uniformly rotating disk in print was in 1912, in his paper dealin... more Einstein's first mention of the uniformly rotating disk in print was in 1912, in his paper dealing with the static gravitational fields. After the 1912 paper, the rotating disk problem occurred in Einstein's writings only in a 1916 review paper, "The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity". Einstein did not mention the rotating disk problem in any of his papers on gravitation theory from 1912 until 1916. However, between 1912 and 1914 Einstein invoked the Hole Argument. I discuss the possible connection between the 1912 rotating disk problem and the Hole Argument and the connection between the 1916 rotating disk problem and the Point Coincident Argument. Finally, according to Mach's ideas we see that the possibility of an empty hole is unacceptable. In 1916 Einstein replaced the Hole Argument with the Point Coincidence Argument and later in 1918 with Mach's principle.
Einstein's biographer Albrecht Fölsing explained: Einstein presented his field equations on Novem... more Einstein's biographer Albrecht Fölsing explained: Einstein presented his field equations on November 25, 1915, but six days earlier, on November 20, Hilbert had derived the identical field equations for which Einstein had been searching such a long time. On November 18 Hilbert had sent Einstein a letter with a certain draft, and Fölsing asked about this possible draft: "Could Einstein, casting his eye over this paper, have discovered the term which was still lacking in his own equations, and thus 'nostrified' Hilbert?" Historical evidence support a scenario according to which Einstein discovered his final field equations by "casting his eye over" his own previous works. In November 4, 1915 Einstein wrote the components of the gravitational field and showed that a material point in a gravitational field moves on a geodesic line in space-time, the equation of which is written in terms of the Christoffel symbols. Einstein found it advantageous to use for the components of the gravitational field the Christoffel symbols. Einstein had already basically possessed the field equations in 1912, but had not recognized the formal importance of the Christoffel symbols as the components of the gravitational field. Einstein probably found the final form of the generally covariant field equations by manipulating his own (November 4, 1915) equations. Findings of other historians seem to support the scenario according to which Einstein did not "nostrify" Hilbert.
Between 1905 and 1907, Einstein first tried to extend the special theory of relativity in such a ... more Between 1905 and 1907, Einstein first tried to extend the special theory of relativity in such a way so as to explain gravitational phenomena. This was the most natural and simplest path to be taken. These investigations did not fit in with Galileo's law of free fall. This law, which may also be formulated as the law of the equality of inertial and gravitational mass, was illuminating Einstein, and he suspected that in it must lie the key to a deeper understanding of inertia and gravitation. Einstein's 1907 breakthrough was to consider Galileo's law of free fall as a powerful argument in favor of expanding the principle of relativity to systems moving non-uniformly relative to each other. Einstein realized that he might be able to generalize the principle of relativity when guided by Galileo's law of free fall; for if one body fell differently from all others in the gravitational field, then with the help of this body an observer in free fall (with all other bodies) could find out that he was falling in a gravitational field.
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