Hermann Weyl (1885-1955) was one of the twentieth century's most important mathematicians, as well as a seminal figure in the development of quantum physics and general relativity. He was also an eloquent writer with a lifelong interest in the philosophical implications of the startling new scientific developments with which he was so involved. Mind and Nature is a collection of Weyl's most important general writings on philosophy, mathematics, and physics, including pieces that h...

When mathematician Hermann Weyl decided to write a book on philosophy, he faced what he referred to as "conflicts of conscience"--the objective nature of science, he felt, did not mesh easily with the incredulous, uncertain nature of philosophy. Yet the two disciplines were already intertwined. In Philosophy of Mathematics and Natural Science, Weyl examines how advances in philosophy were led by scientific discoveries--the more humankind understood about the physical world, the mo...

This collection of original papers on the special and general theories of relativity is an unabridged translation of the 4th edition of Das Relativitatsprinzip, together with a revised edition of an additional paper by H. A. Lorentz.CONTENTS: I. "Michelson's Interference Experiment" by H. A . Lorentz. II. "Electromagnetic Phenomena in a System Moving with any Velocity Less than that of Light" by H. A . Lorentz. Ill. "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies"...

"The standard treatise on the general theory of relativity." — Nature"Whatever the future may bring, Professor Weyl's book will remain a classic of physics." — British Journal for Philosophy and ScienceReflecting the revolution in scientific and philosophic thought which accompanied the Einstein relativity theories, Dr. Weyl has probed deeply into the notions of space, time, and matter. A rigorous examination of the state of our knowledge of the world follow...

This classic on the general history of functions was written by one of the twentieth century's best-known mathematicians. Hermann Weyl, who worked with Einstein at Princeton, combined function theory and geometry in this high-level landmark work, forming a new branch of mathematics and the basis of the modern approach to analysis, geometry, and topology.The author intended this book not only to develop the basic ideas of Riemann's theory of algebraic functions and their integrals bu...

This original anthology assembles ten accessible essays by a giant of modern mathematics. Hermann Weyl (1885–1955) made lasting contributions to number theory as well as theoretical physics, and he was associated with Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, the University of Göttingen, and ETH Zurich. Spanning the 1930s–50s, these articles offer insights into logic and relativity theory in addition to reflections on the work of Weyl's mentor, David Hilbert.Subjects include "Topolo...

This concise book introduces nonphysicists to the core philosophical issues surrounding the nature and structure of space and time, and is also an ideal resource for physicists interested in the conceptual foundations of space-time theory.Tim Maudlin's broad historical overview examines Aristotelian and Newtonian accounts of space and time, and traces how Galileo's conceptions of relativity and space-time led to Einstein's special and general theories of relativity. Maudlin explain...

Since 1909, when my Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces was published, the tensor calculus, which had previously been invented by Ricci, was adopted by Einstein in his General Theory of Relativity, and has been developed further in the study of Riemannian Geometry and various generalizations of the latter. In the present book the tensor calculus of cuclidean 3-space is developed and then generalized so as to apply to a Riemannian space of any number of dimensions. The tensor calcu...

This textbook provides a unified and concise exploration of undergraduate mathematics by approaching the subject through its history. Readers will discover the rich tapestry of ideas behind familiar topics from the undergraduate curriculum, such as calculus, algebra, topology, and more. Featuring historical episodes ranging from the Ancient Greeks to Fermat and Descartes, this volume offers a glimpse into the broader context in which these ideas developed, revealing unexpected connections ...

Time magazine's "Man of the Century", Albert Einstein is the founder of modern physics and his theory of relativity is the most important scientific idea of the modern era. In this short book, Einstein explains, using the minimum of mathematical terms, the basic ideas and principles of the theory that has shaped the world we live in today. Unsurpassed by any subsequent books on relativity, this remains the most popular and useful exposition of Einstein's immense contribution to human knowl...

The renowned physicist and New York Times –bestselling author introduces the nonscientific reader to the mind-bending world of quantum physics."God does not play dice with the universe."So said Albert Einstein in response to the first discoveries that launched quantum physics, as they suggested a random universe that seemed to violate the laws of common sense. This 20th-century scientific revolution compl...

Time's 'Man of the Century', Albert Einstein is the unquestioned founder of modern physics. His theory of relativity is the most important scientific idea of the modern era. In this short book Einstein explains, using the minimum of mathematical terms, the basic ideas and principles of the theory which has shaped the world we live in today. Unsurpassed by any subsequent books on relativity, this remains the most popular and useful exposition of Einstein's immense contribution to h...