Spacetime and Electromagnetism

J. R Lucas

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Author
J. R Lucas
Publish Date
1990-07-19
Subtitle
An Essay on the Philosophy of the Special Theory of Relativity
Book Type
Hardcover
Number of Pages
328
Publisher Name
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10
0198520395
ISBN-13
9780198520399
citemno
251038
SKU
9780198520399

Description

That space and time should be integrated into a single entity, spacetime, is the great insight of Einstein's special theory of relativity, and leads us to regard spacetime as a fundamental context in which to make sense of the world around us. But it is not the only one. Causality is equally important and at least as far as the special theory goes, it cannot be subsumed under a fundamentally geometrical form of explanation. In fact, the agent of propagation of causal influence is electromagnetic radiation. In this examination, the authors find support for a rationalist approach to physics, never neglecting experimentation, but rejecting a simple empiricist or positivist view of science.