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Changes in concepts of time from Aristotle to Einstein

  • Session 5. Gravitation and Time in General Relativity
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Abstract

The meaning of time and motion is discussed, at first tracing conceptual changes from Aristotle to Galileo/Newton to Einstein. Different views of ‘time’ in 20th century physics are then examined, with primary focus on the revolutionary changes that came with the theory of general relativity. Implications of its new view in all domains of physics are discussed — from elementary particles to cosmology. The special role of Hamilton's quaternion calculus in equations of motion in general relativity is shown.

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References

  1. For Aristotle's views of time, see his Metaphysics, Book XII, Ch. 8, in McKeon, R.: 1941,The Basic Works of Aristotle (Random House)

  2. St. Augustine's views of time are expressed in his Confessions, Book XI. For a translation, see: Hyman, A. and Walsh, J. J., editors: 1973,Philosophy of the Middle Ages (Hackett)

  3. Maimonides, M., transl. Pines, S.: 1963,The Guide of the Perplexed (Chicago), Part II, Ch. 17

  4. Galilei, G., transl. Drake, S.: 1967,Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (California), p. 114

  5. Newton, I. transl. Cajori, B.: 1962,Principia, Volume I,The Motion of Bodies, (California), in Scholium, p. 6

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  7. Noether's theorem is discussed in: Lanczos, C.: 1966,The Variational Principles of Mechanics (Toronto), third Edition, p. 357

  8. Einstein summarizes his views in: “Autobiographical Notes”, in Schilpp, P. A., editor: 1949,Albert Einstein—Philosopher-Scientist (Open Court)

  9. Sachs, M.: 1993,Relativity in Our Time (Taylor and Francis), Ch. 7

  10. A mathematical as well as a logical argument against the validity of the ‘twin paradox’ is given in: Sachs, M.: 1971,Physics Today,24, 23. See also ref. 9, Ch. 12

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  11. Goedel, K.: 1949,Rev. Mod. Phys.,21, 447

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  12. Sachs, M.: 1976,British Journal for the Philosophy of Science,27, 225

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  13. The details of this derivation are given in: Sachs, M.: 1982,General Relativity and Matter (Reidel), Ch. 7

  14. Halberstam H. and Ingram, R. E.: 1967,The Mathematical Papers of Sir William Rowan Hamilton, Volume III, Algebra (Cambridge)

  15. Sachs, M.: 1994,Physics Essays,7, 490

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  16. Sachs, M.: 1989,Annales de la Fondation Louis de Broglie,14, 115. Also see ref. 9, Ch. 7

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  17. Sachs, M.: 1975,International Journal of Theoretical Physics,14, 115

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  19. I have compared the different types of ‘time’ in: Sachs, M.: 1978,La Recherche,9, 104

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  20. I have shown that the relativistic basis of cause and effect is a necessary concept in the ‘delayed-action-at-a-distance’ stand of Wheeler and Feynman, in: Sachs, M.: 1996, inThe Present Status of the Quantum Theory of Light, A Symposium in Honour of Jean-Pierre Vigier (Kluwer)

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  1. Department of Physics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA

    Mendel Sachs

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  1. Mendel Sachs
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Sachs, M. Changes in concepts of time from Aristotle to Einstein. Astrophys Space Sci 244, 269–281 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642298

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642298

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