Einstein

Thomas Ryckman is Professor of Philosophy at Stanford University, USA. He is author of The Reign of Relativity: Philosophy in Physics 1915–1925 (2005).

• ChronologyIntroduction1. Life and WorksPart 1: Quantum theory2. On the road to Planck 19003. Contributions to the old quantum theory4. Quantum mechanicsPart 2: Relativity5. Special relativity6. General relativityPart 3: Geometry and philosophy7. Geometry and experience8. Philosophy of science – realism9. Philosophy of science – constructivism10. Philosophy of science – rationalism11. Influence and Legacy GlossaryIndex.

"In this well-written and thoroughly researched book, Thomas Ryckman presents Albert Einstein as both a physicist and a philosopher. The discussion of Einstein's often neglected work in statistical mechanics and the brilliant description of the famous Bohr-Einstein debates are the best I've seen anywhere. I learned a lot from this book, and you will too." - James Trefil, George Mason University, USA"Ryckman’s book is a thoroughly researched and very clearly presented guide to Einstein's evolving philosophy of science. It offers illuminating insights into how Einstein constantly reformulated his philosophical views about science in the light of the revolutionary developments within theoretical physics itself." - Lawrence Sklar, University of Michigan, USA"A masterful book. Ryckman discusses how Einstein’s philosophical positions were forged in his struggle with classical physics, relativity and quantum theory. He describes the history and philosophical significance of these struggles in a way that is accessible to students of philosophy without a background in physics, yet stays away from oversimplifications. I can only marvel at how Ryckman achieved this feat!" - Dennis Lehmkuhl, California Institute of Technology, USA