Letter to The Australian on Albert Einstein

[haselhurst]

Letter to The Australian on Albert Einstein

To The Australian Newspaper,
I was this morning reading your article on Ray Charles, and how the truth tends to get 'rewritten' and misrepresented over time about people's lives and thoughts.
I am wondering if you would be interested in writing an article on Albert Einstein (as you would know, it is 100 years since his famous papers where first published, and 50 years since his death).
The reason I write refers in particular to an article I read in the Australian 'Higher Education' section on Wed. February 2nd, 2005 (though it was originally from The Economist).
The article states a number of Einstein's central ideas, and in fact about half of what they wrote was wrong, and simply repeated common misunderstandings of what Einstein actually thought.

A few examples below. If you are interested I can provide you with complete details and relevant quotes. It is useful to start with their comments about Newton, since Einstein's general relativity (matter curves 4D space-time continuum) replaced Newton's gravitational forces.

Opening sentence!

"In the span of 18 months, Isaac Newton invented calculus, constructed a theory of optics and explained how gravity works ...."

Newton did not explain how gravity works. He found a way of approximately describing how matter moves relative to other matter by formalising concepts of mass and force (f=m.a), where the gravity force was assumed to be proportional to the two masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. It also required assumption of instant action-at-a-distance. Both Newton and Einstein realised that this apparently 'magical' instant action-at-a-distance was a problem, as Newton writes;

"It is inconceivable that inanimate brute matter should, without mediation of something else which is not matter, operate on and affect other matter without mutual contact. ... That gravity should be innate, inherent and essential to matter, so that one body may act upon another at-a-distance, through a vacuum, without the mediation of anything else by and through which their action may be conveyed from one to another, is to me so great an absurdity that I believe no man, who has in philosophical matters a competent faculty of thinking, can ever fall into it. ...
So far I have explained the phenomena by the force of gravity, but I have not yet ascertained the cause of gravity itself. ... and I do not arbitrarily invent hypotheses." (Newton. Letter to Richard Bentley 25 Feb. 1693)

And Einstein writes;

"In Newtonian physics the elementary theoretical concept on which the theoretical description of material bodies is based is the material point, or particle. Thus matter is considered a priori to be discontinuous. This makes it necessary to consider the action of material points on one another as action-at-a-distance. Since the latter concept seems quite contrary to everyday experience, it is only natural that the contemporaries of Newton - and indeed Newton himself - found it difficult to accept. Owing to the almost miraculous success of the Newtonian system, however, the succeeding generations of physicists became used to the idea of action-at-a-distance. Any doubt was buried for a long time to come." (Albert Einstein, 1950)

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5th paragraph, on Einstein's discoveries published 1905

"In five remarkable papers he showed that atoms were real ... "

Albert Einstein writes;

"The physical reality of space is represented by a field whose components are continuous functions of four independent variables - the co-ordinates of space and time. Since the theory of general relatively implies the representation of physical reality by a continuous field, the concept of particles or material points cannot play a fundament part, nor can the concept of motion. The particle can only appear as a limited region in space in which the field strength or the energy density are particularly high." (Albert Einstein, Metaphysics of Relativity, 1950)

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8th paragraph.

"Unfortunately his discoveries of relativity and quantum theory contradict one another."

"The development during the present century is characterized by two theoretical systems essentially independent of each other: the theory of relativity and the quantum theory. The two systems do not directly contradict each other; but they seem little adapted to fusion into one unified theory." (Albert Einstein, 1940)


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9th paragraph. On uniting relativity with quantum theory.

"But then no one else has succeeded in fixing the problems either, ..."

This is not correct, there is now a complete description of physical reality that does unite these two theories (and Cosmology) with mathematical logic that exactly deduces fundamentals of both theories in one set of very simple wave equations. See work of retired Prof. of Mathematical Physics Dr Milo Wolff.

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/#Milo.Wolff


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10th paragraph. re: Einstein believed light was a particle. (He did not.)

"When Einstein was awarded a Nobel prize in 1921, it was for the first of his papers on 1905, which proved the existence of photons - particles of light."

And related to this, paragraph 13.

"Planck, however, stopped short of making the deduction that quantising light means that it is made of particles rather than waves. Einstein concluded just that."

Because Einstein represented matter as continuous spherical fields in space time he was never able to explain the discrete particle properties of light and matter.

"All these fifty years of conscious brooding have brought me no nearer to the answer to the question, 'What are light quanta?' Nowadays every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks he knows it, but he is mistaken." (Albert Einstein, 1954)

In fact he concluded towards the end of his life that his attempts at a unified continuous field theory of matter may not be correct. Sadly for Einstein his feelings have proved to be correct, the problems are solved once we replace his conception of matter as continuous spherical fields in space time with spherical waves in continuous Space.
And by moving from a continuous spherical field theory of matter to a spherical standing wave structure of matter (which still unites matter and space as Einstein correctly realised) we then also find obvious solutions to the problems of quantum theory - founded on discrete energy states which where later described using standing wave equations (de Broglie, Schrodinger). Basically both matter and light are wave structures, the Wave-Center of the Spherical Standing Wave cause the particle effect of matter, and the particles effects of light are caused by standing wave interactions which only occur at discrete frequencies and thus energies. Einstein writes;

"I consider it quite possible that physics cannot be based on the field concept, i.e., on continuous structures. In that case, nothing remains of my entire castle in the air, gravitation theory included, [and of] the rest of modern physics. (Albert Einstein, 1954)

"The quanta really are a hopeless mess."
(Albert Einstein, On doing Quantum Theory calculations with Pauli p58)

"The more success the quantum theory has, the sillier it looks."
(Albert Einstein to Heinrich Zangger on Quantum Theory, May 20, 1912)

"de Broglie conceived an electron revolving about the atomic nucleus as being connected with a hypothetical wave train, and made intelligible to some extent the discrete character of Bohr's 'permitted' paths by the stationary (standing) character of the corresponding waves." (Albert Einstein, 1940)

Since Albert Einstein represented matter as continuous spherical fields in space-time he completely rejected the concept of 'particles' and action-at--a-distance (and there are many valid reasons for this). He writes;

When forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence:
Time and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter. (Albert Einstein)

I wished to show that space time is not necessarily something to which one can ascribe to a separate existence, independently of the actual objects of physical reality. Physical objects are not in space, but these objects are spatially extended (as fields). In this way the concept 'empty space' loses its meaning. ... The field thus becomes an irreducible element of physical description, irreducible in the same sense as the concept of matter (particles) in the theory of Newton. ... The physical reality of space is represented by a field whose components are continuous functions of four independent variables - the co-ordinates of space and time. Since the theory of general relatively implies the representation of physical reality by a continuous field, the concept of particles or material points cannot play a fundament part, nor can the concept of motion. The particle can only appear as a limited region in space in which the field strength or the energy density are particularly high. (Albert Einstein, Metaphysics of Relativity, 1950)

There is more to explain but this gives you some ideas. Really the most significant thing is that there is now a more simple way of describing reality, from Einstein's spherical fields in space-time, to spherical waves in space, which does explain and solve many problems, not just in physics, but also philosophy and metaphysics.
So perhaps you will not only be interested in correcting some misunderstandings of Einstein, but also of physical reality itself! (And I have read that the media loves nothing more than a bit of controversy!)
Quotes are from the following pages on my philosophy physics metaphysics website.

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Physics-Albert-Einstein-Theory-Relativity.htm
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Physics-Albert-Einstein-Quantum-Theory.htm
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Albert-Einstein-Quotes.htm
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert-einstein-biography-pictures.htm

Hope you find it interesting. I actually think this physics 'stuff', while it may seem abstract and complex to the general population, is ultimately very important to humanity, as it is about the very foundations of physical reality (which at a fundamental level is ultimately simple). And clearly this is closely related to truth and the philosophical realisation that we (humanity) must know the truth to be wise (and our modern world is in great need of more wisdom in its thoughts and actions).

Kindly and sincerely,
Geoff Haselhurst
Philosopher of Science, Metaphysics, Theoretical Physics.
http://www.spaceandmotion.com


PS - A few relevant quotes from other physicists,


(Erwin Schrodinger) What we observe as material bodies and forces are nothing but shapes and variations in the structure of space.
Particles are just schaumkommen (appearances). ...
The world is given to me only once, not one existing and one perceived. Subject and object are only one. The barrier between them cannot be said to have broken down as a result of recent experience in the physical sciences, for this barrier does not exist. ...
The scientist only imposes two things, namely truth and sincerity, imposes them upon himself and upon other scientists.

Let me say at the outset, that in this discourse, I am opposing not a few special statements of quantum mechanics held today (1950s), I am opposing as it were the whole of it, I am opposing its basic views that have been shaped 25 years ago, when Max Born put forward his probability interpretation, which was accepted by almost everybody. (Schrödinger E, The Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. Ox Bow Press, Woodbridge, CN, 1995).

I don't like it, and I'm sorry I ever had anything to do with it.
(Erwin Schrodinger talking about quantum mechanics)

(Fritjof Capra, 1975) A careful analysis of the process of observation in atomic physics has shown that the subatomic particles have no meaning as isolated entities, but can only be understood as interconnections between the preparation of an experiment and the subsequent measurement. Quantum theory thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe. The mathematical framework of quantum theory has passed countless successful tests and is now universally accepted as a consistent and accurate description of all atomic phenomena. The verbal interpretation, on the other hand, i.e. the metaphysics of quantum theory, is on far less solid ground. In fact, in more than forty years physicists have not been able to provide a clear metaphysical model.

(David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, 1980) The notion that all these fragments is separately existent is evidently an illusion, and this illusion cannot do other than lead to endless conflict and confusion. Indeed, the attempt to live according to the notion that the fragments are really separate is, in essence, what has led to the growing series of extremely urgent crises that is confronting us today. Thus, as is now well known, this way of life has brought about pollution, destruction of the balance of nature, over-population, world-wide economic and political disorder and the creation of an overall environment that is neither physically nor mentally healthy for most of the people who live in it. Individually there has developed a widespread feeling of helplessness and despair, in the face of what seems to be an overwhelming mass of disparate social forces, going beyond the control and even the comprehension of the human beings who are caught up in it.

And on Metaphysics

(Aristotle, 340BC) Metaphysics is universal and is exclusively concerned with primary substance. ... And here we will have the science to study that which is just as that which is, both in its essence and in the properties which, just as a thing that is, it has. ... That among entities there must be some cause which moves and combines things. ... There must then be a principle of such a kind that its substance is activity. (Aristotle, Metaphysics)

(Leibniz, 1670) Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because of the interconnection of all things with one another. ... I maintain also that substances, whether material or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without any activity, activity being of the essence of substance in general. (Leibniz, Monadology)

(Bradley, 1846-1924) We may agree, perhaps, to understand by Metaphysics an attempt to know reality as against mere appearance, or the study of first principles or ultimate truths, or again the effort to comprehend the universe, not simply piecemeal or by fragments, but somehow as a whole. (Bradley)