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Einstein's Unification [Kõva köide]

(Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands)
  • Formaat: Hardback, 224 pages, kõrgus x laius x paksus: 254x178x15 mm, kaal: 600 g, 15 Halftones, black and white; 6 Line drawings, black and white
  • Ilmumisaeg: 10-Jun-2010
  • Kirjastus: Cambridge University Press
  • ISBN-10: 0521883466
  • ISBN-13: 9780521883467
Teised raamatud teemal:
  • Formaat: Hardback, 224 pages, kõrgus x laius x paksus: 254x178x15 mm, kaal: 600 g, 15 Halftones, black and white; 6 Line drawings, black and white
  • Ilmumisaeg: 10-Jun-2010
  • Kirjastus: Cambridge University Press
  • ISBN-10: 0521883466
  • ISBN-13: 9780521883467
Teised raamatud teemal:
"Why did Einstein tirelessly study unified field theory for more than 30 years? In this book, the author argues that Einstein believed he could find a unified theory of all of nature's forces by repeating the methods he used when he formulated general relativity. The book discusses Einstein's route to the general theory of relativity, focusing on the philosophical lessons that he learnt. It then addresses his quest for a unified theory for electromagnetism and gravity, discussing in detail his efforts with Kaluza-Klein and, surprisingly, the theory of spinors. From these perspectives, Einstein's critical stance towards the quantum theory comes to stand in a new light. This book will be of interest to physicists, historians and philosophers of science"--

Provided by publisher.

Arvustused

' an impressive and important book Einstein's Unification is a unified, detailed, coherent, and convincing narrative about the path Einstein took after coming to general relativity and the reason for his all-consuming search for a unified theory of the forces of nature. Van Dongen's book will deeply influence how we understand Einstein and how future biographies that try to relate all aspects of Einstein's life will be written.' Isis '[ This] book will be of interest to Einstein studies specialists, to historians and philosophers of science in general, and to scientists with any interest, professional or otherwise, in fundamental physics. The lay reader, provided they are reasonably well versed in physics, will find much to enjoy here also.' D. Kennefick, University of Arkansas 'Jeroen van Dongen's remarkable book - an updated and revised version of his Ph.D. thesis of 2002, meanwhile matured through the author's research in the Berlin group and subsequently at the Einstein Papers Project based at CalTech - offers a delightful tour through Einstein's efforts constantly analyzed from the dialectics of Einstein's use of (pure) mathematics versus actual physics. The author thereby establishes - and this may be said to be the main point of the book - a gradual shift from the latter (which formed the strength of Einstein's youth) to the former.' N. P. Landsman, The Mathematical Intelligencer 'Van Dongen's book is an excellent resource for all who wish to understand Einstein more deeply, balancing the technical, the philosophical, and the historical with skill and judgment By adding to his careful technical comments a nuanced, undogmatic treatment of the philosophical issues, van Dongen has made a truly valuable contribution to our understanding of Einstein.' Peter Pesic, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews ' a superb account of Einstein's strategy in discovering the general theory of relativity ' Mathematical Reviews

Muu info

Shedding new light on Einstein's study of unified field theory, this book will interest physicists, historians and philosophers of science.
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1(5)
1 Formulating the gravitational field equations
6(30)
1.1 The dual method and the Zurich notebook
9(10)
1.2 Conceptual struggles with the Entwurf theory
19(7)
1.3 November 1915: mathematics produces the covariant Einstein equations
26(6)
1.4 Conclusion: general relativity and Einstein's methodological lesson
32(4)
2 On the method of theoretical physics
36(22)
2.1 The change in epistemological outlook
36(13)
2.2 Principle and constructive theories
49(2)
2.3 Einstein's methodological schema
51(7)
3 Unification and field theory
58(17)
3.1 Unification: motivation and implementation
58(6)
3.2 Unified field theory
64(11)
4 Experiment and experience
75(21)
4.1 Einstein and experimentation
76(13)
4.2 Experience in Einstein's philosophy
89(7)
5 The method as directive: semivectors
96(34)
5.1 The unnaturalness of the spinor
97(9)
5.2 Semivectors and the unification of charged particles
106(16)
5.3 Reception of the semivector
122(5)
5.4 Conclusion: nature and mathematical naturalness
127(3)
6 Unification in five dimensions
130(27)
6.1 Particle solutions in field theory
130(2)
6.2 Kaluza, Klein and Einstein
132(7)
6.3 Einstein-Bergmann-Bargmann theory
139(15)
6.4 Conclusion: classical field theory and quantization
154(3)
7 The method and the quantum
157(27)
7.1 The old quantum theory
158(8)
7.2 The formulation of matrix and wave mechanics
166(8)
7.3 Einstein and quantum mechanics
174(8)
7.4 Conclusion: the quantum and the practice of field theory
182(2)
Conclusion 184(7)
References 191(17)
Index 208
Jeroen van Dongen is Assistant Professor at the Institute for History and Foundations of Science at Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands, and has served as Associate Editor of the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein at the California Institute of Technology.