THE EVOLUTION OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT
FROM NEWTON TO EINSTEIN

THE EVOLUTION OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT FROM NEWTON TO EINSTEIN

A. D’ABRO

NEW YORK
BONI & LIVERIGHT
1927

PREFACE

ALTHOUGH in the course of the last three centuries scientific theories have been subject to all manner of vicissitude and change, the governing motive that has inspired scientists has been ever the same—a search for unity in diversity, a desire to bring harmony and order into what might at first sight appear to be a hopeless chaos of experimental facts.

In this book the essential features of Newton’s great discoveries, the apparent inevitableness of absolute space and time in classical science, are passed in review. Then we come to Riemann, that great mathematician who wrested the problem of space from the dogmatic slumber where it had rested so long. Finally we see how Einstein succeeded in transporting to the realm of physics the ideas that Riemann had propounded, giving us thereby that supreme achievement of modern thought, the theory of relativity.

Although I have used non-technical language, great care has been given to an accurate presentation of facts. In certain parts, however, notably in those devoted to non-Euclidean geometry and to the principle of Action, a looseness of presentation has appeared unavoidable owing to the extreme technicality of the subjects discussed. But as it was a question of presenting these subjects loosely or leaving them out of the picture entirely, it appeared preferable to sacrifice accuracy to general comprehensiveness.