Re: Einstein on aether/spacetime

Posted by DickT on November 11, 2002 at 14:05:07:

In Reply to: Re: Einstein on aether/spacetime posted by DickT on November 11, 2002 at 13:06:15:

Doc,

Here ia another quote from Einstein (same 1920 publication as the other):

Recapitulating: we may say that according to the general
theory of relativity space is endowed with physical
qualities; in this sense, therefore, there exists ether.

Because of General Covariance, space(time) had different properties at one point than another; it was not a fixed backgound but a participant in the physics. So Einstein felt justified in calling it an ether. Today we call this property "background independence", and it may well survive relativity if the loop quantum gravity researchers succeed as they desire in incorporating it into their quantum version of spacetime.

Regards,
Dick

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Follow Ups: (Reload page to see most recent)

• I just wished folks would seek to understand... -- James 11/11/02 (1)
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• Help! Another aether? -- DocN 11/11/02 (0)

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