Physics is a Kind of Metaphysics E.s 1rst Meeting mile Meyerson - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

weissRGB255,250,250 Einstein- Meyerson Corr. Marco Giovanelli Introduction M’s Épisté- mologie “Physics is a Kind of Metaphysics” E.’s 1rst Meeting Émile Meyerson and Einstein’s Late Rationalistic Realism with M. Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Marco Giovanelli E. and M.ś Book Universität Tübingen E’ 2nd Meeting with M. January 22, 2020 E.’ Review Positiv. and Metaph. Spencer Lecture Concl. , -1/28 , ,

Introduction Introduction Einstein- Meyerson The Philosophical Pilgrimage of Albert Einstein (Holton, 1967–1968) Corr. Marco After general relativity Giovanelli Realistic turn from Machian phenomenalism to scientific realism Introduction literature on quantum mechanics (Fine, 1986; Howard, 1993; Lehner, 2014) M’s Épisté- Rationalistic turn mologie from moderate empiricism to extreme rationalism E.’s 1rst Meeting literature on general relativity (Norton, 2000; Dongen, 2010; Janssen, 2006) with M. Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program E. and M.ś Book E’ 2nd Paradoxical blend of Meeting with M. speculative constructivism (behind unified field theory) + common E.’ Review sense realism (against quantum mechanics) Positiv. and Metaph. Spencer Lecture Concl. , 0/28 , ,

Introduction Introduction Einstein- Meyerson Corr. Marco Giovanelli Introduction M’s Épisté- This paper: mologie E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. a historiographic contribution to Einstein and Meyerson scholarship Einstein and philosopher of physicists ⇐ ⇒ philosophy of the philosophy the Unified field Theory a methodological contribution to historical epistemology Program E. and M.ś history of 20th cent. physics ⇐ ⇒ history of 20th cent. philosophy Book E’ 2nd Meeting with M. E.’ Review Positiv. and Metaph. Spencer Lecture Concl. , 1/28 , ,

Meyerson’s Épistémologie Meyerson’s Épistémologie Einstein- Meyerson Corr. The scientists’ Marco (spontaneous) philosophy of Giovanelli science Epistemological Introduction paradox M’s Épisté- mologie E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program ScThs are explanatory: E. and M.ś Book scientists aim to explain ( causa E’ 2nd aequat effectum ) not to Meeting describe with M. E.’ Review ScThs are ontological: Positiv. and scientists take ScTh. literally, Metaph. and not metaphorically Spencer Lecture Concl. , historical investigation (Meyerson 2/28 , , circle: Metzger, Koyré = ⇒ Kuhn)

Einstein’s first Encounter with Meyerson Einstein’s first Encounter with Meyerson Einstein- Debate at the Société française de Philosophie on April 6, 1922 Meyerson Corr. Marco Giovanelli Introduction M’s Épisté- mologie E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program E. and M.ś Book E’ 2nd Meeting with M. E.’ Review Positiv. and Metaph. Spencer Lecture Concl. Crowd trying to attend the discussion , 3/28 , ,

Einstein’s first Encounter with Meyerson Einstein’s first Encounter with Meyerson Einstein- Debate at the Société française de Philosophie on April 6, 1922 Meyerson Corr. Marco Giovanelli Einstein-Meyerson Exchange at the Société Meeting Introduction M’s Épisté- Mathematicians: Hadamard, mologie E.’s 1rst Cartan, Painlevé Meeting with M. Physicists: Langevin, Perrin, Einstein and Becquerel the Unified field Theory Philosophers: Bergson, Program Brunschvicg, Meyerson E. and M.ś Book Meyerson: relativity theory has E’ 2nd Meeting nothing to do with Mach’s with M. philosophy Painlevé E.’ Review Einstein: Mach was “a good Positiv. and Metaph. student of mechanics Spencer [ mécanicien ], but a deplorable Lecture philosopher" Concl. , 3/28 , ,

Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Einstein- Meyerson Corr. From general relativity to a unified non-dualistic field theory Marco Giovanelli Introduction M’s Épisté- attempt to overcome a mologie double dualism E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. Einstein and the Unified and ϕ µν field Theory matter and field g µν Program E. and M.ś Book E’ 2nd Meeting find a geometrical structure more general than Riemannian geometry with M. (weaken the compatibility condition between the g µν and Γ τ µν ) E.’ Review search for the field equations governing this structure (recover E. and Positiv. and Metaph. M. equations as spec. cases) Spencer find solutions corresponding to elem. particles (electrons and protons) Lecture Concl. Weyl (1921a,b) (semi-metric) and Eddington (1921) (affine theory) , 4/28 , ,

Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Einstein- Meyerson Turn of 1923, trip to Japan (Travel Diary; CPAE, Vol. 13, Doc. 379; Corr. December 30; p. 28v) Einstein’s infatuation with Eddington’s (1921) Marco Giovanelli purely affine theory Introduction Γ τ µν = ⇒ field equations, Einstein and Maxwell v. field equations (1rst M’s Épisté- a) (Einstein, 1923c,d,b) “. . . which is almost a miracle” mologie E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. “ Einstein and Unfortunately we are unable here to base ourselves on empirical facts the Unified as when deriving the gravitational theory (equality of the inertial and field Theory Program Einstein, Nobel prize lecture, 1923 ” heavy mass), but we are restricted to the criterion of mathematical E. and M.ś simplicity which is not free from arbitrariness Book E’ 2nd Meeting with M. E.’ Review Positiv. and Metaph. equiv. princip = math.-spec. method = ⇒ Γ τ ⇒ g µν Spencer µν Lecture Concl. , 5/28 , ,

Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program Einstein- Meyerson Corr. Marco What is the lesson of relativity theory? Giovanelli Introduction M’s Épisté- mologie Pauli: theory about quantities that are observable in principle (no ether, E.’s 1rst Meeting no inertial frame) with M. . . . energy, light frequencies, intensities, and phases → matrix mechanics Einstein and (Born, Pauli, Heisenberg, Jordan) the Unified Einstein: theory about the mathematical structure of field ( ϕ µν , g µν , ?) field Theory Program E. and M.ś . . . fields as ultimate constituents of reality → unified field theory Book (Einstein) E’ 2nd Meeting with M. E.’ Review Positiv. and Metaph. Spencer “ Einstein, Discurso de Einstein, Mar. 9, 1923 ” . . . profound, almost religious, belief in the unity and simplicity of Lecture the principles of the structure of the Universe. Concl. , 7/28 , ,

Einstein and Meyerson’s Book on Relativity Einstein and Meyerson’s Book on Relativity Einstein- Meyerson Corr. “ The idea of the book arose Marco on the eve of Einstein’s Giovanelli arrival in Paris, out of Introduction a conversation with Paul M’s Épisté- Langevin [. . .] on the real- (Meyerson, 1925) ” mologie istic nature of relativity E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. Einstein and the Unified field Theory Program E. and M.ś Book E’ 2nd Meeting with M. Discussions with P. Langevin E.’ Review and A. Metz (1923) Positiv. and Pub. several chapters as papers Metaph. (Meyerson, 1924a,b,c) Spencer Lecture Ms. send to the publ. March Concl. 1924 , 8/28 , ,

Einstein and Meyerson’s Book on Relativity Einstein and Meyerson’s Book on Relativity Einstein- Mar. 1925: Einstein trip to Meyerson Corr. South America Marco Giovanelli Introduction M’s Épisté- mologie Einstein read Meyerson’s E.’s 1rst Meeting book La déduction relativiste with M. (Meyerson, 1925) on the Einstein and the Unified shipboard on March 12, field Theory Program 1925 E. and M.ś Book E’ 2nd “ . . . so warm, that one does Meeting with M. not feel whether cabin win- E.’ Review dows is open. Read Meyer- Positiv. and son. Insightful [ Geistreich ], Metaph. but unfair to the extent Spencer Lecture that the escapades of Weyl Concl. and Eddington are consid- , ered essential parts of the 9/28 , , theory of relativity. In this

Einstein’s Second Meeting with Meyerson Einstein’s Second Meeting with Meyerson Einstein- Meyerson June 1925: Einstein gave Jakob Klatzkin (Jewish Encyclopedia) a note Corr. for Meyerson (Einstein to Meyerson, Jun. 16, 1925; CPAE, Vol. 15, Marco Doc. 9) Giovanelli Introduction “ I would like to take this opportunity to express my high esteem for M’s Épisté- your book on relativity that I have studied with great interest and (Einstein to Meyerson, Jun. 16, 1925; CPAE, Vol. 15, Doc. 9) ” mologie pleasure. E.’s 1rst Meeting with M. Einstein and the Unified December 1925: Meyerson wrote to Einstein asking for detailed field Theory Program comments on his book (Meyerson to Einstein, Dec. 20, 1925; CPAE, E. and M.ś Vol. 15, Doc. 134, Klatzkin to Einstein, Dec. 30, 1925; CPAE, Vol. 15, Book Doc. 238a). E’ 2nd Meeting January 1926: Klatzkin wrote to Meyerson that Einstein in Paris for with M. ICIC (LN) and was ready to write something about the book E.’ Review January, 15 1926 Meyerson invited Einstein to have dinner at his home Positiv. and Metaph. alongside with Metz (Klatzkin to Meyerson, Jan. 11, 1926; CZA, Spencer A408/34) Lecture Concl. , 11/28 , ,