🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <TORKEL.92Aug28055802@bast.sics.se> torkel@sics.se (Torkel Franzen)  
writes:
> In article <1992Aug28.014351.4993@math.ucla.edu> barry@arnold.math.ucla.edu
>  (Barry Merriman) writes:
> 
>    >The fact that Einstein let his philosphical biases prejudice him
>    >against QM is an excellent example of the perils of the philosophical
>    >way of knowing things.
> 
>    The theory of relativity was the outcome of "philosophical prejudices".
> Or do you think that the convictions on which he proceeded in the case of
> relativity were somehow more "scientific" just because he succeeded in that
> case?


I'm not so sure relativity was an outgrowth of his prejudices. I
don't recall any quotes of young Einstein saying ``God does
not fill the universe with Aether'', or ``God does not distinguish
among reference frames''. I assume relativity was an outgrowth of his
understanding of electrodynamics plus a few key physical insights.
(Relativity is essentially contained in Electrodynamics if you 
allow yourself to interpret the theory correctly.)


--
Barry Merriman
UCLA Dept. of Math
UCLA Inst. for Fusion and Plasma Research
barry@math.ucla.edu (Internet; NeXTMail is welcome)