INTRODUCTIONTOWARDS the end of 1915 Albert Einstein brought to its conclusion a theory of gravitation on the basis of a general principle of relativity ofallmotions. His object was to create not a visual picture of the action of an attractive force between bodies, but rather a mechanics of the motions of the bodies relative to one another under the influence of inertia and gravity. To attain this difficult goal, it is true, many time-honoured views had to be sacrificed, but as a reward a standpoint was reached which had long seemed the highest aim of all who had occupied their minds with theoretical physics. The fact that these sacrifices are demanded by the new theory must, indeed, inspire confidence in it. For the unsuccessful attempts that have been made during the last centuries to fit the doctrine of gravitation satisfactorily into the scheme of natural science necessarily lead to the conclusion that this would not be possible without giving up many deeply-rooted ideas. As a matter of fact, Einstein reverted to the foundation pillars of mechanics as starting-points on which to build his theory, and he did not satisfy himself by merely reforming the Newtonian law in order to establish a link with the more recent views.To get at an understanding of Einstein's ideas, we must compare the fundamental point of view adopted by Einstein with that of classical mechanics. We then recognize that a logical development leads from "the special" principle of relativity to the general theory, and simultaneously to a theory of gravitation.
TOWARDS the end of 1915 Albert Einstein brought to its conclusion a theory of gravitation on the basis of a general principle of relativity ofallmotions. His object was to create not a visual picture of the action of an attractive force between bodies, but rather a mechanics of the motions of the bodies relative to one another under the influence of inertia and gravity. To attain this difficult goal, it is true, many time-honoured views had to be sacrificed, but as a reward a standpoint was reached which had long seemed the highest aim of all who had occupied their minds with theoretical physics. The fact that these sacrifices are demanded by the new theory must, indeed, inspire confidence in it. For the unsuccessful attempts that have been made during the last centuries to fit the doctrine of gravitation satisfactorily into the scheme of natural science necessarily lead to the conclusion that this would not be possible without giving up many deeply-rooted ideas. As a matter of fact, Einstein reverted to the foundation pillars of mechanics as starting-points on which to build his theory, and he did not satisfy himself by merely reforming the Newtonian law in order to establish a link with the more recent views.
To get at an understanding of Einstein's ideas, we must compare the fundamental point of view adopted by Einstein with that of classical mechanics. We then recognize that a logical development leads from "the special" principle of relativity to the general theory, and simultaneously to a theory of gravitation.