The Cambridge Companion to Einstein

These fourteen essays by leading historians and philosophers of science introduce the reader to the work of Albert Einstein.

Michel Janssen (Edited by), Christoph Lehner (Edited by)

9780521535427, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 19 May 2014

575 pages, 47 b/w illus.
22.8 x 15.2 x 3.5 cm, 0.93 kg

'An integrated history and philosophy of science approach, as exemplified in The Cambridge Companion to Einstein, points to a fruitful future for Einstein scholarship, as its subject is well placed to give us a uniquely insightful perspective on the history and philosophy of twentieth-century science.' Jeroen van Dongen, Isis

This volume is the first systematic presentation of the work of Albert Einstein, comprising fourteen essays by leading historians and philosophers of science that introduce readers to his work. Following an introduction that places Einstein's work in the context of his life and times, the book opens with essays on the papers of Einstein's 'miracle year', 1905, covering Brownian motion, light quanta, and special relativity, as well as his contributions to early quantum theory and the opposition to his light quantum hypothesis. Further essays relate Einstein's path to the general theory of relativity (1915) and the beginnings of two fields it spawned, relativistic cosmology and gravitational waves. Essays on Einstein's later years examine his unified field theory program and his critique of quantum mechanics. The closing essays explore the relation between Einstein's work and twentieth-century philosophy, as well as his political writings.

Introduction Michel Janssen and Christoph Lehner
1. Einstein's Copernican revolution Jürgen Renn and Robert Rynasiewicz
2. Einstein's special theory of relativity and the problems in the electrodynamics of moving bodies that led him to it John D. Norton
3. Einstein on statistical physics: fluctuations and atomism A. J. Kox
4. The quantum enigma Olivier Darrigol
5. The experimental challenge of light quanta Roger H. Stuewer
6. 'No success like failure …': Einstein's quest for general relativity, 1907–20 Michel Janssen
7. Einstein's role in the creation of relativistic cosmology Christopher Smeenk
8. Einstein, gravitational waves, and the theoretician's regress Daniel J. Kennefick
9. Einstein's unified field theory program Tilman Sauer
10. Einstein's realism and his critique of quantum mechanics Christoph Lehner
11. Einstein and the development of twentieth-century philosophy of science Don Howard
12. 'A believing rationalist': Einstein and 'the truly valuable' in Kant Thomas Ryckman
13. Space, time, and geometry Michael Friedman
14. Einstein's politics Robert Schulmann
Appendix. Special relativity Michel Janssen.

Subject Areas: Popular astronomy & space [WNX], Physics [PH], Theoretical & mathematical astronomy [PGC], Astronomy, space & time [PG], History of science [PDX], History of ideas [JFCX], History of Western philosophy [HPC]