Interpretations and wrong interpretations of special and general relativity theory by contemporaries of Albert Einstein
type: Item
instance of: scholarly article
title: Interpretations and wrong interpretations of special and general relativity theory by contemporaries of Albert Einstein
zbMATH Open document ID: 0777.00007
author: Klaus Hentschel
published in: Science Networks. Historical Studies
publication date: 1993-01-23T00:00:00Z
review text: This volume is concerned with philosophy of science and not with history of physics, as one might gather from its title. The presentation is based on the German, English and French speaking civilizations, the interpretation of relativity in the dialectical materialism is excluded. The author begins with a historical outline considering special and general relativity as well as relativistic cosmology and alternative theories to relativity. An important subject is the so-called vulgarization or popularization of relativity, which is illustrated by a statistical table on the foundation of Lecat's bibliography. The main part is dedicated to a ``Comparison of philosophical interpretations of relativity'' (p. 196-504). The author's former publications dealt mainly with Moritz Schlick and Ernst Mach. Here a much broader spectrum of aspects according to different philosophical is presented: 1. Neo-Kantianism (Natorp, Hönigswald, Cassierer, Reichenbach), 2. Critical realism (Külpe, Bavink, Wenzl), 3. Phenomenology (Husserl, Linke, Geiger), 4. Fictionalism (Vaihinger and his school), 5. Conventionalism (Poincaré, Dingler, Reichenbach, Schlick), 6. Science of axioms, i.e. different kinds of axiomatical systems of special relativity (Carmichael, Robb, Carathéodory, Reichenbach), 7. Logical empiricism (Schlick), 8. Neutral monism, phenomenalism and relativistic positivism (Mach, Petzoldt), 9. Operationalism (Bridgman), 10. Intuitionalism and philosophy of life (Bergson), 11. Rationalism (Meyerson, Metz), 12. Combination of several directions, splinter groups and idiosyncratic individual cases (Eddington, Whitehead, Russell, Piaget, Popper). Every chapter begins with a motto, i.e. a longer quotation. Every point is illustrated by a table or survey to show the different connections. It follows a presentation of ``Selected debates between philosophers'', mainly between Reichenbach, Schlick, Metz, Kraus, Frank, Urbach and their surroundings. The last chapter gives a ``Systematic eva…
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 00A30
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 01A60
Mathematics Subject Classification ID: 83-03
zbMATH DE Number: 45186
zbMATH Keywords: Neo-Kantianism
zbMATH Keywords: Critical Realism
zbMATH Keywords: Phenomenology
zbMATH Keywords: Fictionalism
zbMATH Keywords: Science of Axioms
zbMATH Keywords: Logical Empiricism
zbMATH Keywords: Neutral Monism
zbMATH Keywords: Operationalism
zbMATH Keywords: Intuitionalism
zbMATH Keywords: Rationalism
zbMATH Keywords: Conventionalism
zbMATH Keywords: relativistic cosmology
zbMATH Keywords: Moritz Schlick
zbMATH Keywords: Ernst Mach
reviewed by: Karin Reich
MaRDI profile type: Publication
description: scientific article; zbMATH DE number 45186