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A History of the Theories of Aether & Electricity: Two Volumes Bound As One
Unique, controversial, and frequently cited, this survey offers highly detailed accounts concerning the development of ideas and theories about the nature of electricity and space (aether). Readily accessible to general readers as well as high school students, teachers, and undergraduates, it includes much information unavailable elsewhere.
This single-volume edition comprises both The Classical Theories and The Modern Theories, which were originally published separately. The first volume covers the theories of classical physics from the age of the Greek philosophers to the late 19th century. The second volume chronicles discoveries that led to the advances of modern physics, focusing on special relativity, quantum theories, general relativity, matrix mechanics, and wave mechanics. Noted historian of science I. Bernard Cohen, who reviewed these books for Scientific American, observed, "I know of no other history of electricity which is as sound as Whittaker's. All those who have found stimulation from his works will read this informative and accurate history with interest and profit."
This single-volume edition comprises both The Classical Theories and The Modern Theories, which were originally published separately. The first volume covers the theories of classical physics from the age of the Greek philosophers to the late 19th century. The second volume chronicles discoveries that led to the advances of modern physics, focusing on special relativity, quantum theories, general relativity, matrix mechanics, and wave mechanics. Noted historian of science I. Bernard Cohen, who reviewed these books for Scientific American, observed, "I know of no other history of electricity which is as sound as Whittaker's. All those who have found stimulation from his works will read this informative and accurate history with interest and profit."
753 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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July 2, 2018There are a couple of interesting pages about this book in the Born-Einstein letters, which I read last week. Born writes an exasperated letter to Einstein, saying that he's spent a lot of time talking with his colleague Whittaker about it and giving him all kinds of advice and practical help, including translating some lengthy papers from German. Born's main goal is to persuade Whittaker that his account of the development of special relativity is completely wrong: it was developed by Einstein, not, as Whittaker thinks, by Poincaré and Lorentz. But his efforts are all in vain, and Whitaker sticks to his story in the published work.
I found this extraordinary, since Born had known Lorentz well and was a scrupulously honest person. When he said that Lorentz only very late, and very reluctantly, came to accept the idea of relativity, Whittaker should have believed him. If anything, Born adds in a later comment written in the 60s, he was giving Lorentz the benefit of the doubt: it wasn't clear that Lorentz ever really did think relativity was correct.
At the time of writing the letter, Born is worried that Whittaker, who then is highly respected, will cause major trouble and confuse the historical account. Einstein replies that he doesn't give a fuck, though he expresses this in a characteristically polite and witty way. He turns out to have called it better than Born did, since Whittaker's book is now thoroughly forgotten.
I found this extraordinary, since Born had known Lorentz well and was a scrupulously honest person. When he said that Lorentz only very late, and very reluctantly, came to accept the idea of relativity, Whittaker should have believed him. If anything, Born adds in a later comment written in the 60s, he was giving Lorentz the benefit of the doubt: it wasn't clear that Lorentz ever really did think relativity was correct.
At the time of writing the letter, Born is worried that Whittaker, who then is highly respected, will cause major trouble and confuse the historical account. Einstein replies that he doesn't give a fuck, though he expresses this in a characteristically polite and witty way. He turns out to have called it better than Born did, since Whittaker's book is now thoroughly forgotten.
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