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Philosophy of Relativity

Lecturer
Antonio Ferrero (Utrecht U., The Netherlands)
Language
English
Schedule
16–18 Jul 2024 (3 classes, mandatory attendance in 3 for a certificate)
Time
10h00 (BRT)/13h00 (UTC)
Workload
6h
Topics
  • Newtonian Mechanics: basics of Newtonian mechanics; absolute time, space, and motion; inertial frames and fictitious forces; Newton–Cartan theory.
  • Special Relativity: basics of special relativity; relativity of simultaneity; Bell’s approach; geometrical vs. dynamical.
  • General Relativity: basics of general relativity; coordinate (in)dependence; the equivalence principle; alternative theories.
Prerequisites
A standard introductory course in general relativity.
Bibliography
  • Roberto Torreti. Relativity and Geometry (Dover: New York, NY, 1983).
  • Harvey R. Brown. Physical Relativity: Space-Time Structure from a Dynamical Perspective (Clarendon Press: Oxford, 2007).
  • Robert DiSalle. Understanding Space-Time: The Philosophical Development of Physics from Newton to Einstein (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 2006).
  • David Malament. Topics in the Foundations of General Relativity and Newtonian Gravitation Theory (The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, 2012).
Recordings