Einstein's Relativity: A Criticism

by Dunlap Jamison McAdam

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1922 ... CHAPTER VIII EINSTEIN'S SPECIAL RELATIVITY In commenting on Einstein's explanation of relativity it is but fair that what he has written be given in his own words. In 1916, with the purpose of extending the circle of twelve "who could read and understand his theory," he published a volume, which, while "making no pretence of withholding from the reader difficulties which are inherent to the subject," yet "spared no pains in his endeavor to present the main ideas in the simplest and most intelligent form, and on the whole in the sequence and connection in which they actually originated." In May, 1920, Einstein delivered a lecture at the Imperial University at Leiden on the subject of "Ether," in which incidentally he gave his most recent views of various parts of his theory. I give the salient points in his theories. I. "for A Body In Motion There Is No Such A THING AS AN INDEPENDENT PATH-CURVE, BUT ONLY A PATH-CURVE RELATIVE TO A PARTICULAR BODY OF REFERENCE." He illustrates in this "I stand at the window of a railway car, which is travelling uniformly, and drop a stone on the embankment without throwing it. Then, disregarding the influence of the air resistance, I see the stone descend in a straight line. A pedestrian who observes the misdeed from the foot path, notices that the stone falls to earth in a parabolic curve. I now Do the positions traversed by the stone lie 'in reality on a straight line or on a parabola'?" As Einstein bases his question on what two supposed observers saw, we need to ask what they did see? He says the man in the car "sees the stone descend in a straight line." He sees nothing of the kind. First. If he can only see the stone, and not the ground or any other surrounding objects, he sees the stone just below his eye for...

210 pages, Paperback

Published July 18, 2023