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Excerpt from Relativity and Gravitation Chapter II. Is intended so to bring the mind of the reader into contact with certain philosophical prob lems presented to us by our experiences with the external world and our efforts to learn the facts about it, that he may approach the subject of rela tivity with an appreciation of the place it occupies as a phase of human thought and a pillar of the scientific structure. Until the reader is aware of the existence of these problems and the directions taken by the efforts, successful and unsuccessful, to un ravel them, he is not equipped to comprehend the doctrine of relativity at all; he is in much the same case as a child whose education had reached only the primer stage, if asked to read the masterpieces of literature. He lacks not alone the vocabulary, but equally the mental background on which the vocabulary is based. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Arthur Stanley Eddington is one of the most influential astrophysicists of the 20th century. Born in Great Britain, he is credited as being a leading teacher of Einstein's theory of relativity in the English world. He is considered a great philosopher of science, and was a boisterous advocate for the popularization of science until his death in 1944. This book, Space, Theory, also titled Space, Time, and Gravitation: An Outline of the General Relativity Theory is one of his most important and well-read books. Originally published in 1920, this book was written at a time when information from Germany would have been limited, and thus many of Einstein's theories had not yet been completely digested by the Western world. The purpose of Space, Theory is to present the theory of relativity to those without a strong scientific or mathematical background. While mathematical equations do make frequent appearances throughout the text, they are complemented by detailed textual explanations and real-world examples. The book is presented in a logical manner. The first chapter discusses the very nature of geometry, and how Euclidean geometry is not sufficient for a discussion of the theory of relativity. One must always consider the dimension of time, Eddington argues. It is this discussion that sets the stage for the remainder of the theories presented in this book. Almost one hundred years after it was written, there are still few better books introducing Einstein's theory of relativity to the layman. Eddington is gifted in taking immensely complex theories and breaking them down to a level that demonstrates their significance in every day life. If you are at all interested in astrophysics, Space, Theory is a must read. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The work of a master, Relativity, the Special and the General Theory: A Popular Exposition, Volume One is Albert Einstein's own attempt to present his theories of relativity to non-physicists. The book is composed of three parts. Part one presents the Special Theory of Relativity and the intimate connection of space and time (spacetime, or "ST"). Part two highlights the General Theory of Relativity, in which Einstein argues that space and time are not absolute and are modified by gravitational forces. In part three, Einstein applies these theories to a consideration of the universe as a whole, with specific discussion about Newton's Law and a sketch of the structure of space according to the General Theory of Relativity. The book frequently refers to an analogy involving a man on a train and a man on and embankment, to which Einstein applies his theories to present varying outcomes. These analogies greatly enhance the layperson's understanding. Einstein's stated goal in Relativity, the Special and the General Theory was to "present the ideas in the simplest and most intelligible form," and in this regard he was largely successful. One does not need to have an understanding of the mathematical principles of theoretical physics in order to read this book. However, that is not to say this book is not a challenging read. The layman will likely find some of the passages quite dense, and the mathematical calculations that are presented may be difficult to follow. While this will not greatly impact one's surface level understanding of Einstein's theories, one's ability to fully grasp the theories presented will depend on their scientific and mathematical background. Relativity, the Special and the General Theory is highly recommended. It is an important work by one of the world's great thinkers, and it presents complex theories in an accessible manner. This book is a worthy addition to anybody's library. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Semi-technical account includes a review of classical physics (origin of space and time measurements, Ptolemaic and Copernican astronomy, laws of motion, inertia, more) and of Einstein's theories of relativity.

Spacetime physics -- Physics in flat spacetime -- The mathematics of curved spacetime -- Einstein's geometric theory of gravity -- Relativistic stars -- The universe -- Gravitational collapse and black holes -- Gravitational waves -- Experimental tests of general relativity -- Frontiers