Skip to main content

As If It Never Happened: The French Response

  • Chapter
Understanding Relativity

Abstract

In contrast to the situation we have described in the German literature, the French response to the special theory of relativity in the years 1905 to 1911 was almost complete silence. Until Einstein visited France in 1910, there was hardly a mention of him in the French literature and no mention in the context of the physics and mathematics problems we now associate with the special theory of relativity. The contrast with Germany is startling, and at first glance, very puzzling.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. E. T. Whittaker, A History of the Theories of Aether and Electricity (2 Vols; New York, 1953) Vol. 2, p. 40.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Oeuvres d’Henri Poincaré (11 Vols.; Paris, 1934–54) Vol. 9, p. 412.

    Google Scholar 

  3. H. Poincare, “The Principles of Mathematics,” The Monist, 1905, 15: 1–24,

    Google Scholar 

  4. H. Poincare, “The Principles of Mathematics,” The Monist, 1905, 15: p. 5.

    Google Scholar 

  5. H. Poincaré, Science and Method (New York, n.d.) p. 209.

    Google Scholar 

  6. G. Holton, Thematic Origins of Scientific Thought (Cambridge, 1973) p. 188.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Oeuvres d’Henri Poincaré, Vol 9, pp. 464–488.

    Google Scholar 

  8. H. Poincaré, La mechanique nouvelle [an address delivered at the French Association for the Advancement of Science, 1909], (Paris, 1924).

    Google Scholar 

  9. H. Poincaré, Electricite et Optique (Paris, 1901) p. 536.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. H. A. Lorentz, “Electrical Phenomena in a System Moving with any Velocity less than that of Light,” in Lorentz et al, The Principle of Relativity (New York, 1923) p. 13.

    Google Scholar 

  11. G. Holton, Thematic Origins of Scientific Thought pp. 165–183.

    Google Scholar 

  12. L. Poincaré, La Physique Moderne Son Evolution (Paris, 1st ed., 1906; 2nd ed., 1920).

    Google Scholar 

  13. A. Satory and R. Satory, Vers le monde d’Einstein (Strasbourg, n.d.).

    Google Scholar 

  14. C. Nordmann, Einstein et luniverse (Paris, 1921).

    Google Scholar 

  15. H. Arzeliès, La cinematique relativiste (Paris, 1955), p. vii.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1984 Birkhäuser Boston, Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Goldberg, S. (1984). As If It Never Happened: The French Response. In: Understanding Relativity. Birkhäuser Boston. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6732-1_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6732-1_7

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Boston

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-6734-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-6732-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics