Poincare's contributions to relativistic dynamics

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 31 (1):15-48 (2000)
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Abstract

In this paper I concentrate on the dynamic aspects of the special theory of relativity (in the non-Minkowski formalism), and not on the kinematic part of the story as is usually done. Following up the dynamic story leads to a new point of view as to Poincare's important role in the development of special relativity. Much of Poincare's dynamic work did not enter into Einstein's 1905 theory, since Einstein was mainly occupied with kinematics. However, the dynamic part is most fundamental in the development of the special theory of relativity after 1905. In this paper I consider the main developments of relativistic dynamics in which I demonstrate that much response to Poincare's dynamic research can be found. I argue that Poincare's dynamic work assisted in departing from Einstein's electrodynamic theory towards relativistic dynamics (independent of electrodynamics).

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2009-01-28

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Galina Weinstein
University of Haifa

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References found in this work

Special relativity.A. P. French - 1968 - New York,: Norton.
La mesure du temps.H. Poincaré - 1898 - Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale 6 (1):1 - 13.
Henri Poincare's criticism of fin de siecle electrodynamics.Olivier Darrigol - 1995 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 26 (1):1-44.
Sur les principes de la Mécanique.Henri Poincaré - 1901 - Bibliothèque du Congrès International de Philosophie 3:457-494.

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