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Sir Arthur Eddington (1882-1944) was both a key figure in the
development of astrophysics during the early part of the twentieth
century and a notable philosopher of science. Originally published
in 1939, this book contains the substance of the course of lectures
delivered by Eddington as Tarner Lecturer of Trinity College,
Cambridge in the Easter term of 1938. The text discusses the
principles of philosophical thought associated with advances in
physical science, developing the ideas contained in earlier titles
such as The Nature of the Physical World (1928) in line with
discoveries in quantum mechanics and group theory. This is a highly
insightful title that will be of value to anyone with an interest
in Eddington, the development of physics and the philosophy of
science.
Sir Arthur Eddington (1882-1944) was both a key figure in the
development of astrophysics during the early part of the twentieth
century and a notable philosopher of science. Originally published
in 1935, this book contains the substance of the Messenger Lectures
which were delivered by Eddington at Cornell University in April
and May 1934. Using as a nucleus material in addresses and lectures
given by the author from 1929 onwards, the text discusses a variety
of advances in the physical sciences and scientific thought in
general. This is a highly insightful title that will be of value to
anyone with an interest in Eddington, the development of physics
and the philosophy of science.
Sir Arthur Eddington (1882-1944) was both a key figure in the
development of astrophysics during the early part of the twentieth
century and a notable philosopher of science. Originally published
in 1928, this book contains the substance of the Gifford Lectures
which were delivered by Eddington at the University of Edinburgh in
January to March 1927. The text discusses the philosophical outcome
of fundamental changes in scientific thought related to areas such
as the theory of relativity, quantum theory and thermodynamics.
This is a highly insightful title that will be of value to anyone
with an interest in Eddington, the development of physics and the
philosophy of science.
This classic book, long out of print, investigates the experimental
determination of one of the fundamental constants of astrophysics
and its significance for astronomy. The equations of general
relativity include a constant lambda in their solution. If lambda
is non-zero and positive, this represents the existence of a
phenomenon of cosmical repulsion. In this book Eddington discussed
the implications of this for models of the universe. The book
offers a unique sidelight upon the history of ideas and Eddington's
artistry. His evident enjoyment of writing and exposition shine
through, and astrophysicists and historians of science will find
that this reissue throws fascinating light on one of Britain's
greatest scientists.
NEW PATHWAYS IN SCIENCE by SIR ARTHUR EDDINGTON M. A., D. Sc., LL.
D., F. R. S. Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental
Philosophy in the University of Cambridge MESSENGER LECTURES 1934
CAMBRIDGE AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS 1935 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
CONTENTS Preface page vi Chapter I Science and Experience I II
Dramatis Personae 27 Til The End of the World 50 IV The DeclinaofT
terminism 72 V Indeterminacy and Quantum Theory 92 VI Probability
no VII The Constitution of the Stars 135 VIII Subatomic Energy 160
IX Cosmic Clouds and Nebulae 184 X The Expanding Universe 206 XI
The Constants of Nature 229 XII The Theory of Groups 255 XIII
Criticisms and Controversies 278 XIV Epilogue 309 Index 327 PLATES
Plate i Electrons and Positrons Facing page 28 By permission of
Prof. P. M. S. Blackett 2 Gaseous Nebula Cygnus 184 3 Dark
Nebulosity The Horses Head 202 4 Spiral Nebula Canes Venatici 206
PREFACE THIS volume contains the Messenger Lectures which I
delivered at Cornell University in April and May 1934. Chapters n
and vin have been added the remaining chapters correspond to the
twelve lectures of the course. It was one of the conditions of the
lectureship that the lectures should be published. Except for a
small book on the Expanding Universe, my last spell of writing was
about six years ago, when Stars and Atoms 1927, The Nature of the
Physical World 1928 and Science and the Unseen World 1929
practically exhausted all that it was then in my mind to say. A
scientific writer is placed in a difficulty by his earlier books
either his new book will appear as a rather disjointed addendum to
them, or he must perfunctorily go over again a great deal of matter
which he has no wish to rewrite.Being unwilling to adopt the second
alternative, I determined to make what I could of whatever had come
to my mind in the last six years. Accordingly I spoke at Cornell on
a variety of topics, using as a nucleus the material contained in a
number of addresses and lectures which I had had occasion to
deliver since 1929, and adding other subjects to which I had been
giving attention. The general plan was that each lecture should
have a separate theme, except that Indeterminism was spread over
two lectures. The choice of subjects has allowed a certain amount
of continuity of treatment but there has been no attempt to provide
a systematic introduction to modern scientific thought. Perhaps the
biggest gap is the absence of any account of the elementary ideas
of the theory of relativity Vlll PREFACE I could not bring myself
to go over again the ground covered in Chapters I, n, m, vi, vn of
The Nature of the Physical World altering the treatment and
illustrations merely for the sake of alteration. In the opening
lecture I try to explain the philosophical outlook of modern
science, as I understand it, and show how the scientific picture of
the world described in physics is related to the familiar story in
our minds. Chapter n is an interpolation containing a summary of
our knowledge of atomic physics, etc., which some readers may find
necessary for an understanding of subsequent chapters and others
may find useful as a reminder. Then follow four lectures which have
something in common they are concerned with the consequences of the
statistical type of law, first introduced into physics in the
subject of thermodynamics, which has in recent years completely
driven out the older causal type of lawfrom the foundations of
physics. The last of these four lectures, on Probability, has
besides its application to statistical law a more elementary
interest. Then follows a complete change of subject, and the next
four lectures are devoted to astrophysics. Starting with the sun
and familiar stars, we advance to greater distances till we reach
the system of milliards of galaxies which constitutes the universe.
This last subject has been treated more fully in my recent book The
Expanding Universe I here give a much shorter account...
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