eminent men of science of the present time. On the other hand there is a large and growing body of workers who are rapidly pushing forward investigations the inspiration for which is afforded by the theory of relativity.
This state of affairs will probably give rise to a considerable controversial literature. If the outcome of this controversy is the acceptance in the main of the theory of relativity, then this theory will afford just the means needed to arouse in investigators in the field of physics a lively sense of the philosophical foundations of their science. If the conclusions of relativity are refuted this will probably be done by a careful study of the foundations of physical science and a penetrating analysis of the grounds of our confidence in the conclusions which it reaches. This of itself will be sufficient to correct the present tendency to forget the philosophical basis of the science.
It follows that in any event the theory of relativity is certain to force a fresh study of the foundations of physical theory. If it accomplishes no more than this it will have done well.
The object of this paper is to point out some of the more immediate and fundamental conclusions of a philosophical nature to which the theory of relativity gives rise, especially those related to the foundations of physics. An attempt is made to present the discussion in such form as to be intelligible to one who is unacquainted with the theory of relativity; this is done for the convenience of those who have not hitherto been interested in the matter. It will probably be found desirable, however, to have as much previous knowledge of the subject as may be obtained from Comstock's paper in Science, N. S., 31 (1910), 767-772.[1]
II. The Fundamental Basis of Relativity.
The fundamental basis of the theory of relativity may be set forth in a few statements each of which is a generalization from experiment. In so far as these statements are generalizations they are of course unproved experimentally. But they are nevertheless supposed to be the natural teachings of experiment; and as such are to be accepted with a good degree of confidence unless it can be shown that they are in contradiction to other known experimental facts.
The first of these statements gives expression to a law which is suggested by the famous Michelson-Morley experiment,[2] the object of which was to try out a certain theory concerning the ether by ascertaining
- ↑ One who desires to go further into the subject might. consult with profit the author's previous papers in the Physical Review, Vol. 35, Series 1, pp. 153-176; Vol. I., Series 2, pp. 161-178.
- ↑ See American Journal of Science (3), 34 (1887). 333-345.
