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Old May 3rd 08, 12:07 PM posted to alt.astronomy
oldcoot
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Default Einstein Never Found Contentment

On May 2, 1:36*pm, Double-A wrote:
On Apr 29, 1:34*pm, oldcoot wrote:

Could such lament reflect a note of self-deprecation for capitulating
to the 'no medium', space-as-void doctrine while knowing full well
better (?).


Perhaps I have found a better answer to this. *I think this is
Einstein's last word on the nature of space:

"There is no such thing as an empty space, i.e. a space without
field. *Space-time does not claim existence on its own, but only as a
structural quality of the field.

Thus Descartes was not so far from the truth when he believed he must
exclude the existence of an empty space. *The notion indeed appears
absurd, as long as physical reality is seen exclusively in ponderable
bodies. *It requires the idea of the field as the representative of
reality, in conjunction with the general principle of relativity, to
show the true kernel of Descartes' idea; there exists no space "empty
of field.""

- *From the elusive "Appendix Five", *"Relatively and the Problem of
Space" in Einstein's book "Relativlity - The Special and General
Theory", copyright 1961 by the Estate of Albert Einstein.

Yeah, Painius has often cited that obscure Appendix V.

Does that sound like a void spacer? *I don't think Einstein could
have *been anymore clear about rejecting the void space concept in the
above sttatement. *Einstein used the word "field" to describe that
which fills space. *

It sounds more like a late stage "deathbed confession" alluding to
what he knew full well all along but couching it in very vague "field"
terminology. He was fully cognizant of the reality of the spatial
medium as of 1930, yet chose to go with the newly-emergent 'no medium'
doctrine for whatever reason(s). He certainly didn't suffer from
amnesia up to his penning of Appendix V.

Of course, Einstein's "field interpretation" of
Relativity is not what is being taught at universities today. *But
that's not Einstein's fault.

I reserve judgement, preferring to believe his motive was born of a
wisdom greater than we can know at present. But there are guys like
Henry Lindner who openly brand him a fraud and a charlatan for sitting
on the truth he knew all along.