scholarly journals John Lighton Synge. 23 March 1897 — 30 March 1995

2008 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 401-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petros S. Florides
Keyword(s):  
Academic Career ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
Geometrical Approach ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Theoretical Physicist ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Vast Range

John Lighton Synge was arguably the greatest Irish mathematician and theoretical physicist since Sir William Rowan Hamilton(1806–65). He was a prolific researcher of great originality and versatility, and a writer of striking lucidity and ‘clarity of expression'. He made outstanding contributions to a vast range of subjects, and particularly to Einstein's theory of relativity. His approach to relativity, and theoretical physics in general, is characterized by his extraordinary geometrical insight. In addition tobringing clarity and new insights to relativity, his geometrical approach profoundly influenced the development of the subject since the 1960s. His crusade in his long academic career was ‘to make space–time a real workshop for physicists, and not a museum visited occasionally with a feeling of awe‘ (31)*.

Poincare's Silence and Einstein's Relativity: The Role of Theory and Experiment in Poincaré's Physics

1970 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Special Theory ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Special Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Henri Poincaré ◽  
Home Town ◽  
Académie Des Sciences ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Theory And Experiment

It is a matter of record that Henri Poincaré never responded publicly to Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity (RT). Since almost no private papers of Poincaré are available, his attitude toward Einstein's work and his silence on that score become somewhat of a mystery. It is almost certain that Poincaré knew of Einstein's work in RT. First, he was fluent in German, having learned it as a young man when the Germans occupied his home town of Nancy in 1870. Second, he often reported to the members of the Académie des Sciences on current work in electrodynamics in Germany. It is highly improbable that he would have missed the abstract of Einstein's first paper on RT or the subsequent articles by Einstein on the subject, especially those which were translated into French, since they were in areas directly related to his own interests in theoretical physics.

scholarly journals Whittaker's Contributions to the Theory of Relativity

1958 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Synge
Keyword(s):  
Space Time ◽  
Geometrical Approach ◽  
Analytical Dynamics ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Modern Analysis ◽  
Mind's Eye

Ten papers deal with the theory of relativity, and all are concerned in some way with electromagnetism. Those who know Whittaker through his Modern Analysis and Analytical Dynamics will recognise in these papers the same mastery over complicated situations which enabled him to disdain the support of notational refinements, that same elegance, brevity and persuasive charm which make difficult arguments seem easier than they really are. The new element which emerges is the strongly geometrical approach; but he remains true to the Lagrange tradition and draws no diagrams of space-time, although these must surely have been before his mind's eye and would have helped his readers.

General introduction

1979 ◽  
Vol 368 (1732) ◽  
pp. 3-4
Keyword(s):  
Initial Period ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Relativistic Astrophysics ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Kerr Geometry ◽  
Time Singularities ◽  
General Relativistic ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Theoretical Side

It is now over 60 years since Einstein first put forward his General theory of Relativity, providing what was, at that time, a daring new view of the geometry of the world and an extraordinary insight into the nature of the gravitational field - perhaps the single most strikingly original contribution to the scientific thought of recent times. But despite an initial period of active development both in the observational and theoretical sides of the subject, there followed a long period of comparative quiescence during which the subject had seemed to have little contact with the rest of physics and even less with feasible observations or experiments. In recent years, however, this situation has changed dramatically. On the theoretical side, for example, there has been much clarification of the nature of gravitational waves and of the fact that these waves carry positive mass-energy. Much more is known concerning exact solutions of Einstein’s equations. The space-time singularities that had been previously suspected as being features only of special symmetrical solutions are now known to be inevitable for wide classes of space-times. The theory of black holes has arisen and has led to a remarkably complete picture with a detailed and well-understood space-time geometry (the Kerr geometry). The relation to quantum theory, while still enigmatic, has made significant advances (e.g. Hawking radiation). The subject of General-Relativistic astrophysics has been born and has flourished.

scholarly journals Schwinger’s approach to Einstein’s gravity and beyond

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 964-967 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.A. Milton
Keyword(s):  
General Relativity ◽  
Quantum Theory ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Quantum Electrodynamics ◽  
Particle Physics ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Gravity Theory ◽  
Curved Space ◽  
Theoretical Physicist ◽  
The Subject

J. Schwinger (1918–1994), founder of renormalized quantum electrodynamics, was arguably the leading theoretical physicist of the second half of the 20th century. Thus it is not surprising that he made contributions to gravity theory as well. His students made major impacts on the still uncompleted program of constructing a quantum theory of gravity. Schwinger himself had no doubt of the validity of general relativity, although he preferred a particle physics viewpoint based on gravitons and the associated fields, and not the geometrical picture of curved space–time. This article provides a brief summary of his contributions and attitudes toward the subject of gravity.

»mit saurem Schweiß sagen, was man nicht weiß«

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-254
Author(s):  
Magdalena Gronau ◽  
Martin Gronau
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Atomic Physics ◽  
Small World ◽  
Nobel Prize Winner ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
Erwin Schrödinger ◽  
Theoretical Physicist ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Epistemological Position ◽  
Style Of Writing

AbstractThe present article focuses on the theoretical physicist and Nobel Prize winner Erwin Schrödinger (1887−1961) and his early attempts to popularize physics in the twenties and early thirties. Special attention is drawn to the ›entanglement‹ of media prerequisites and the subject Schrödinger deals with. Exemplary analysis of the magazines in which Schrödinger published, illustrations, and Schrödinger’s rather journalistic, zeitgeisty style of writing reveals a specific way of imparting the small world of atomic physics, hidden to the eye, to a broader audience. While the majority of contemporary quantum theorists rejected the allegedly old-fashioned physics of pictures and models, Schrödinger’s popular scientific praxis of a vivid explanation is even reflected in his epistemological position regarding the central goal of theoretical physics - namely, producing clear and illustrative models.

Nachdenken über Demokratie

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Wirth
Keyword(s):  
Academic Career ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Scientist ◽  
Constitutional State ◽  
History Of ◽  
Subject Areas ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Contemporary Context

The political scientist and historian Peter Graf Kielmannsegg has dedicated his academic career to analysing the liberal constitutional state, its roots and the manifold challenges it poses. By examining his writings in both a biographical and contemporary context, this study is the first to address an exceptional representative of the third generation of political scientists. Based on the question ‘What is his academic work rooted in and what reception has it received?’, this biography of Kielmannsegg’s work from the beginning of his career in the 1960s to the present provides an overview of the subject areas it covers, including its trends and changes of direction, and of his understanding of an appropriate form of political science. Kielmannsegg’s advocatory thinking revolves around a representative form of democracy and its fascinating identity and stability. Basing his approach on the history of ideas and aligning it with democratic theory, he addresses current debates and, as the ‘thinking teacher of democracy’, explains complex interrelationships.

Time in the Physical Picture of the World

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 128-132
Author(s):  
Andrey Yu. Sevalnikov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Mechanics ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Space Time ◽  
Time Structure ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Principle Of Superposition ◽  
Subjective Character ◽  
Space Time Structure ◽  
Modern Physics

The article is devoted to the problem of time in modern science, where in recent years there have been major changes related to the latest discoveries in the field of the foundations of quantum theory. The author refers to works of K.-F. von Weizsacker (which works are not well-known in Russian-speaking field). Weizsacker deploys a large-scale program of building modern physics, while starting (not only as a physicist, but also a professional philosopher) with questions of philosophical interpretation of postulates of modern physics, especially quantum mechanics. His key thesis is that time in physics is fundamentally distinct, which represents the whole physics as an integral scientific discipline. Weizsacker comes from physical and philosophical reflections, that give a special value to his work. Analyzing the conclusions of theoretical physics, namely the issues of substantiation of statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and, above all, quantum mechanics, Weizsacker comes to the key idea of the structure of time in the substantiation of physical theory. The author in this conclusion disagrees with the opinion of most modern physicists that time has a subjective character, and the modus of the past, present and future reflects its essential character. The allocation of the time structure requires special logic. Such a logic is temporal and quantum. Starting from temporal logic, introducing the concept of possibility and probability, he comes to the substantiation of quantum mechanics. Being modal logic, it is based on the concept of possibility and probability. Key concept for Weizsacker is a binary alternative (Uralternative), closely related to the principle of superposition in quantum mechanics. By introducing the concept of certain alternatives, essentially actualized alternatives, Weizsacker shows how one can get the theory of relativity with its space-time structure. Further, he shows that based on its structure, you can get the theory of relativity. The space-time structure in this case is secondary, relational, as understood by Leibniz, Mach, and Einstein.

Mathematics in Engineering Research

1952 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 331-339
Author(s):  
Chas. M. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Differential Equations ◽  
Matrix Algebra ◽  
Bessel Functions ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
First Year ◽  
Theory Of Relativity ◽  
Wave Mechanics ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
The Subject ◽  
College Work

The subject for this evening's talk no doubt calls to mind such things as vector analysis, wave mechanics, Bessel functions, differential equations, matrix algebra, analog computers, and the theory of relativity. I hope you will not be disappointed if such subjects, important though they be, are not mentioned again this evening. I have no intention of belittling these tools of higher mathematics and of theoretical physics. They have their place and it's an important one; but, in engineering research as in most other phases of living, mast progress toward understanding is made through clear, quantitative thinking, employing the simpler mathematical tools taught in elementary and high schools and in the first year or two of college work. So it will be arithmetic rather than analog computers this evening.

scholarly journals A portrait of Italian ‘Family houses’: diversified heritage in a redefined territorial and demographic context

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Zanfi ◽  
Chiara Merlini ◽  
Viviana Giavarini ◽  
Fabio Manfredini
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Change ◽  
Demographic Transition ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Property Values ◽  
Italian Family ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Demographic Context ◽  
Family House

AbstractThe ‘family house’ has played a major role within the urbanisation processes that have been transforming the Italian landscape since the 1960s. It is a common feature of the widespread settlements that are part of what has been labelled the ‘diffuse city’ and was the subject of numerous studies during the 1990s. More than 20 years later, this paper returns to the topic of the Italian family house using a renewed methodological approach to describe relevant changes. The hypothesis here is that in order to grasp the tensions affecting ‘family houses’ in today’s context of demographic transition and increased imbalances between dynamic and declining areas, and to contemplate their future, the qualitative gaze adopted by scholars in the 1990s must be integrated with other investigative tools, focusing on demographic change, uses, and the property values of buildings. Using this perspective, the paper provides a series of ‘portraits’ rooted in four meaningful territorial contexts, portraits which may help scholars to redefine their imagery associated with family house and be useful for dedicated building policies.

scholarly journals GEORGE KEITH BATCHELOR 8 March 1920–30 March 2000 Founding Editor, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 1956

2000 ◽  
Vol 421 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
HERBERT E. HUPPERT
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Mechanics ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Solid Mechanics ◽  
Applied Mathematics ◽  
Fluid Flows ◽  
Theoretical Physics ◽  
Founding Editor ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Quantitative Understanding ◽  
The Subject

George Batchelor was one of the giants of fluid mechanics in the second half of the twentieth century. He had a passion for physical and quantitative understanding of fluid flows and a single-minded determination that fluid mechanics should be pursued as a subject in its own right. He once wrote that he ‘spent a lifetime happily within its boundaries’. Six feet tall, thin and youthful in appearance, George's unchanging attire and demeanour contrasted with his ever-evolving scientific insights and contributions. His strongly held and carefully articulated opinions, coupled with his forthright objectivity, shone through everything he undertook.George's pervasive influence sprang from a number of factors. First, he conducted imaginative, ground-breaking research, which was always based on clear physical thinking. Second, he founded a school of fluid mechanics, inspired by his mentor G. I. Taylor, that became part of the world renowned Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) of which he was the Head from its inception in 1959 until he retired from his Professorship in 1983. Third, he established this Journal in 1956 and actively oversaw all its activities for more than forty years, until he relinquished his editorship at the end of 1998. Fourth, he wrote the monumental textbook An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics, which first appeared in 1967, has been translated into four languages and has been relaunched this year, the year of his death. This book, which describes the fundamentals of the subject and discusses many applications, has been closely studied and frequently cited by generations of students and research workers. It has already sold over 45 000 copies. And fifth, but not finally, he helped initiate a number of international organizations (often European), such as the European Mechanics Committee (now Society) and the biennial Polish Fluid Mechanics Meetings, and contributed extensively to the running of IUTAM, the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. The aim of all of these associations is to foster fluid (and to some extent solid) mechanics and to encourage the development of the subject.

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