HPS 0410 Einstein for Everyone Fall 2018

This is an archived copy of the course material. Some links may not work.


Lectures

Stable, Archived version of chapters, August 14, 2018.

Assignments

 

Course Description

Schedule

Term paper

Clock

Sign in sheet

Title page, Preface and Table of Contents for Einstein for Everyone

Introduction: the Questions

     Special Relativity

Special Relativity: the Principles

Special Relativity: Clocks and Rods

Special Relativity: Adding Velocities

Special Relativity: the Relativity of Simultaneity

Is Special Relativity Paradoxical?

E=mc2

Origins of Special Relativity

Einstein's Pathway to Special Relativity

     Spacetime

Spacetime

Spacetime and the Relativity of Simultaneity

Spacetime, Tachyons, Twins and Clocks

What is a four dimensional space like?

     Philosophical Significance of the
       Special Theory of Relativity.

Skeptical Morals

Morals About Theory and Evidence

Morals About Time

The Conventionality of Simultaneity

     Non-Euclidean Geometry

Euclidean Geometry: The First Great Science

Euclid's Fifth Postulate

Non-Euclidean Geometry: A Sample Construction

Non-Euclidean Geometry and Curved Spaces

Spaces of Constant Curvature

Spaces of Variable Curvature

     General Relativity

General Relativity

Gravity Near a Massive Body

Einstein's Pathway to General Relativity

     Cosmology and Black Holes

Relativistic Cosmology

Time Travel Universes

Our Universe: What We See

Big Bang Cosmology

Must There Have Been a Big Bang?

Black Holes

A Better Picture of Black Holes

     Philosophical Significance of the
       General Theory of Relativity.

Geometric Morals

The Ontology of Space and Time:
The Relativity of Accelerated Motion

The Ontology of Space and Time:
The Hole Argument

Theory and Evidence

Cosmos and Infinity

     Quantum Theory

Atoms and the Quantum

Origins of Quantum Theory

Quantum Theory of Waves and Particles

A Complex Wave

The Measurement Problem

Time Travels with Schrödinger's Cat

Einstein on the Completeness of Quantum Theory

Retrospect

Einstein as the Greatest of the Nineteenth Century Physicists

0. Warm Up

1. Principle of Relativity

2. Adding Velocities Einstein's Way

3. Relativity of Simultaneity

4. Origins of Special Relativity

4a E = mc2 review questions

5. Spacetime

6. Philosophical Significance

7. Curvature

8. General Relativity

9. Relativistic Cosmology

10. Big Bang Cosmology I

11. Big Bang Cosmology II

12. Black Holes

13. Origins of Quantum Theory

14. Problems of Quantum Theory

For documents relating to the Spring 2017 offering of this class, click here.
For documents relating to the Spring 2015 offering of this class, click here.
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For documents relating to the Spring 2010 offering of this class, click here.
For documents relating to the Fall 2008 offering of this class, click here.
For documents relating to the Spring 2008 offering of this class, click here.
For documents relating to the Spring 2007 offering of this class, click here.