Reconsidering a scientific revolution: the case of Einstein versus Lorentz (Q1811292)

The author of the study under review, Michael Janssen (Univ. of Minnesota), parallels the scientific debate between Albert Einstein and Hendrik A. Lorentz with that between Copernicus and Ptolemy. Knowledge of Lorentz' ether theory may be understood and explained better if considering his ideas and interpretations on invariance. It is known that Lorentz's theory represents a combination between Newtonian mechanics and Maxwellian electrodynamics. From Newton, Lorentz took over the space-time arena and the laws of motion. On the other hand, Einstein's special theory of relativity (first discussed in his ``On the electrodynamics of moving bodies'') seems to have similar concerns with the scientific interests of Lorentz. The opposition between them may be expressed as: \textit{constructive theory} and \textit{theory of principle}.