Brown, Harvey R. (2003) Michelson, FitzGerald and Lorentz: the origins of relativity revisited. UNSPECIFIED. (In Press)

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Abstract

It is argued that an unheralded moment marking the beginnings of relativity theory occurred in 1889, when G. F. FitzGerald, no doubt with the puzzling 1887 Michelson-Morley experiment fresh in mind, wrote to Heaviside about the possible effects of motion on inter-molecular forces in bodies. Emphasis is placed on the difference between FitzGerald's and Lorentz's independent justifications of the shape distortion effect involved. Finally, the importance of the their `constructive' approach to kinematics---stripped of any commitment to the physicality of the ether--- will be defended, in the spirit of Pauli, Swann and Bell.

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Item Type:	Other
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Brown, Harvey R.
Commentary on:	Brown, Harvey R (2001) The origins of length contraction: I. The FitzGerald-Lorentz deformation. [Preprint]
Keywords:	relativity, FitzGerald, length contraction, Bell
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Depositing User:	Prof Harvey R Brown
Date Deposited:	10 Feb 2003
Last Modified:	07 Oct 2010 15:11
Item ID:	987
Public Domain:	No
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Date:	January 2003
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/987

Commentary/Response Threads

• Brown, Harvey R The origins of length contraction: I. The FitzGerald-Lorentz deformation. (deposited 11 Apr 2001)
  • Brown, Harvey R. Michelson, FitzGerald and Lorentz: the origins of relativity revisited. (deposited 10 Feb 2003) [Currently Displayed]

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