Presents a fresh approach to the subject of cosmology. This title fully exploits Einstein's theory of general relativity. It includes a final chapter that delves into philosophical considerations such as the different types of 'truth', positivism versus realism and a discussion of the role of the Mach principle in physics and cosmology.
Exploring foundational issues in theoretical physics, the book offers an informal lecture-style discussion that spans from Galileo and Newton to modern quantum and relativity theories. It encourages readers to engage with 20th-century scientific ideas and consider their relevance for the 21st century. The author argues that understanding the ongoing controversies between quantum mechanics and relativity is crucial for future advancements in physics. This unique perspective sets the book apart from typical contemporary texts on theoretical physics and cosmology.
This book describes a paradigm change in modern physics from the philosophy and mathematical expression of the quantum theory to those of general relativity. The approach applies to all domains - from elementary particles to cosmology. The change is from the positivistic views in which atomism, nondeterminism and measurement are fundamental, to a holistic view in realism, wherein matter - electrons, galaxies, - are correlated modes of a single continuum, the universe. A field that unifies electromagnetism, gravity and inertia is demonstrated explicitly, with new predictions, in terms of quaternion and spinor field equations in a curved spacetime. Quantum mechanics emerges as a linear, flatspace approximation for the equations of inertia in general relativity.