This Element presents the philosophy of special relativity, from the foundations of the theory in Newtonian mechanics, through its birth out of the ashes of nineteenth-century ether theory, through the various conceptual paradoxes which the theory presents, and finally arriving at some of its connections with Einstein's later theory of general relativity. It illustrates concepts such as inertial frames, force-free motion, dynamical versus geometrical understandings of physics, the standard hierarchy of classical spacetimes, and symmetries of a physical theory; it also discusses specific topics in the foundations of special relativity such as Einstein's 1905 derivation of the Lorentz transformations, the conventionality of simultaneity, the status of frame-dependent effects, and the twin paradox.
| ISBN: | 9781009300612 |
| Publication date: | 20th July 2023 |
| Author: | James Read |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 75 pages |
| Series: | Elements in the Philosophy of Physics |
| Genres: |
Relativity physics Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology Philosophy of science |
This Element presents the philosophy of special relativity, from the foundations of the theory in Newtonian mechanics, through its birth out of the ashes of nineteenth-century ether theory, through the various conceptual paradoxes which the theory presents, and finally arriving at some of its connections with Einstein's later theory of general relativity. It illustrates concepts such as inertial frames, force-free motion, dynamical versus geometrical understandings of physics, the standard hierarchy of classical spacetimes, and symmetries of a physical theory; it also discusses specific topics in the foundations of special relativity such as Einstein's 1905 derivation of the Lorentz transformations, the conventionality of simultaneity, the status of frame-dependent effects, and the twin paradox.
Special Relativity features in the following genres: Relativity physics, Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology, Philosophy of science
Paperback. £16.20, down from the £18.00 cover price. Not Available.
Special Relativity was written by James Read and published by Cambridge University Press
Special Relativity has 75 pages
Yes it is part of Elements in the Philosophy of Physics series
£16.20, reduced from £18.00. Not Available.