Philosophical foundations of the special theory of relativity, and their bearing on its history

pp. 341-409

in: Adolf Grünbaum, Philosophical problems of space and time, Berlin, Springer, 1973

Abstract

Since the publication of Hans Reichenbach's definitive books on the philosophy of the theory of relativity during the nineteen twenties,¹ the literature on the philosophy and history of Einstein's special theory of relativity (hereafter called STR) has been enlarged by contributions which call for critical evaluation. In this chapter, I shall give such an evaluation in the course of presenting: (a) an up-to-date analysis of the intertwined philosophical and empirical foundations of the kinematics of the STR, with attention to neglected issues and prevalent misconceptions, and (b) a demonstration that a rigorous grasp of the philosophical conceptions underlying the fully evolved STR and distinguishing it from its ancestors is decisively prerequisite to (1) the very posing of well-conceived, searching historical questions in regard to the STR, and hence to (2) the provision of a historically sound and illuminating account of its genesis.