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Albert Einstein Autograph Letter Signed ("A. Einstein")....
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Description
Einstein responds to Edouard Guillaume's criticism of his work, "I see from this statement of yours that you have still not fully grasped the special theory of relativity" and provides the mathematical equations disproving Guillaume's argument
Albert Einstein Autograph Letter Signed ("A. Einstein"). One
and half pages, 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches; [Berlin]; September 4,
[19]20. With original transmittal envelope addressed in his
hand.Einstein writes to Swiss physicist Edouard Guillaume, a critic of Einstein's theory of relativity. An important letter in their ongoing dispute centered on the mathematical formulations and the conceptual interpretations of relativity that captures a particularly heated phase of their disagreement. Einstein provides a careful explanation citing Doppler and Lorentz, correcting Guillaume's equation included in an earlier letter.
The letter reads in part:
"The conclusion about the rate of the moving clock cannot be derived from the formula...
It rather results directly from the inverse Lorentz transformation...
For the pointlike events that correspond to the ticking of a clock indicating seconds positioned at the origin of K', is
t' = n ( = whole number)
x' = 0.
The result is therefore...
From this, one may not by any means conclude that 'the clock that indicates t is running more slowly than the one that indicates t'.' Rather, t is indicated by many clocks and, to be precise, by each clock at rest relative to K that just coincides with nth tick of the clock positioned at the origin of K'. I see from this statement of yours that you have still not fully grasped the special theory of relativity, i.e., the theory of 1905, misunderstandings prevail instead. A single clock can only measure the time at a single location (of the frame of reference). In time evaluations in which many locations (with reference to the coordinate system) are involved, a system of set clocks is always necessary.
According to my conception, it is impossible to derive the Doppler principle from equation (1) In order to define radiation as a frequency..., I need a wave of the kind..."
Einstein then denotes the mathematical equations supporting his argument and adds, "I absolutely would not know how to indicate a simpler derivation of the Doppler principle. In any case, from equation (1) nothing at all can be concluded either about the rate of a moving clock or about the Doppler principle. You must think of it as if Δt has the meaning
Δt = t2 - t1 A.________________.B
t1 = A = time of emission of the light signal at A ---------
t2 = B = time of arrival of the l[ight] s[ig]. at B.
There is no such thing as one clock that can indicate Δt.
Best regards, yours A. Einstein."
The inclusion of Doppler and Lorentz is significant in understanding the context of their scientific dispute. Einstein references the Doppler effect to support his ideas about how motion affects the perception of time and space. The Lorentz transformations are fundamental to the special theory of relativity, which Einstein developed in 1905. Lorentz's work laid the groundwork for Einstein's theories by providing the mathematical tools needed to describe how time and space are interwoven and how they change with motion.
Henri Poincaré, a contemporary of Lorentz, also contributed significantly to the development of the ideas that led to the theory of relativity. Poincaré's work on the relativity of time and his recognition of the principle of relativity were critical steps towards the formulation of the theory. But Poincaré stopped short of developing the full implications of these ideas, which Einstein did by introducing the concept of spacetime and the idea that the speed of light is constant in all inertial frames of reference.
Guillaume was the editor of Poincaré's work and this close association contributed to his critical stance on Einstein's theories, as he was deeply influenced by Poincaré's approach to the principles of relativity and the mathematical formulations associated with them. This background likely fueled Guillaume's skepticism towards Einstein's revolutionary ideas in the theory of relativity, which marked a departure from the classical views held by Poincaré and his followers.
Einstein's citation of Doppler and Lorentz in his letter to Guillaume was aimed at showing how these established scientific principles supported his own revolutionary ideas. Essentially, Einstein was arguing that his theory of relativity was a natural and necessary extension of the work done by these earlier scientists, including Poincaré, even if Poincaré himself had not fully embraced the radical implications of his own findings.
Einstein first met Guillaume when he worked at the patent office in Berne. This position provided him with a stable job while he developed some of his most important scientific theories, including the special theory of relativity in 1905. A resolution to their disagreement finally came in 1921 when experimental evidence corroborated Einstein's predictions, leading to wider acceptance of his theories.
Condition: Flattened folds with center vertical fold just starting at bottom. Paper is torn from a block, with rough top margin, and two hole punches along left margin. Light toning and rust speckles from prior binding. Envelope is evenly toned, torn open at the top margin with worn corners, and pencil notation below address.
Provenance: Aguttes, lot 137 sold in 2022. Christie's; sale 5482, lot 331, sold in 2007.
References: Einstein Papers. Volume 10: The Berlin Years.
*See https://einsteinpapers.press.princeton.edu/vol10-trans/285 for the full English translation of this letter.
Auction Info
2024 July 25 Historical Platinum Signature® Auction #6294 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
July, 2024
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