Some remarks on the genesis of scalar-tensor theories

DOI10.1007/S10714-012-1378-8zbMATH Open1253.83040arXiv1204.3455OpenAlexW1984221978WikidataQ56050358 ScholiaQ56050358MaRDI QIDQ1759345FDOQ1759345

Authors: Hubert Goenner 

Publication date: 20 November 2012

Published in: General Relativity and Gravitation (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Between 1941 and 1962, scalar-tensor theories of gravitation were suggested four times by different scientists in four different countries. The earliest originator, the Swiss mathematician W. Scherrer, was virtually unknown until now whereas the chronologically latest pair gave their names to a multitude of publications on Brans-Dicke theory. P. Jordan, one of the pioneers of quantum mechanics theory, and Y. Thiry, a student of the mathematician A. Lichnerowicz, known by his book on celestial mechanics, complete the quartet. Diverse motivations for and conceptual interpretations of their theories will be discussed as well as relations among them. Also, external factors like language, citation habits, or closeness to the mainstream are considered. It will become clear why Brans-Dicke theory, although structurally a d'ej`a-vu, superseded all the other approaches.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1204.3455

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zbMATH Keywords

cosmologyhistory of physicsalternative theories of gravitation

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of mathematics in the 20th century (01A60) Relativistic gravitational theories other than Einstein's, including asymmetric field theories (83D05) Relativistic cosmology (83F05) History of relativity and gravitational theory (83-03)

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Cited In (12)

• On the history of unified field theories. II. (ca. 1930 -- ca. 1965)
• Exact scalar-tensor cosmological models
• The Unexpected Resurgence of Weyl Geometry in late 20th-Century Physics
• Field equations and Lagrangian of the Kaluza energy-momentum tensor
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• A comment on the geometry of some scalar-tensor theories
• Scalar-tensor theories of gravity: some personal history

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