The Shape of Space, 2th Edition
Publisher: Cambridge University Press | 1994 | PDF | 308 pages | ISBN: 0521450144 | 5.7Mb

This is a revised and updated issue of Graham Nerlich's classic book (1976). It develops a metaphysical account of space that treats it as a real and cake entity, showing that shape plays a key explanatory role in short time and spacetime theories. Arguing t

One of the clearest, most entertaining introductions to the subject ever written offers lucid explanations of not only the special and general theories of relativity, but also of the Michelson-Morley experiment, gravity and spacetime, Mach’s principle, the twin paradox, models of the universe and other topics. "...by far the best layman’s account of this difficult subject."—Christian Science Monitor. 100 two-color illustrations.

This book describes a paradigm change in modern physics from the philosophy and mathematical expression of the quantum theory to those of general relativity. The approach applies to all domains - from elementary particles to cosmology. The change is from the positivistic views in which atomism, nondeterminism and measurement are fundamental, to a holistic view in realism, wherein matter - electrons, galaxies, - are correlated modes of a single continuum, the universe. A field that unifies electromagnetism, gravity and inertia is demonstrated explicitly, with new predictions, in terms of quaternion and spinor field equations in a curved spacetime. Quantum mechanics emerges as a linear, flatspace approximation for the equations of inertia in general relativity.

Everything is gone screwy at Tagai Academy. When the headmaster forces Minagis entire class to study Einstein's theory of relativity over summer school, Minagi volunteers to go in their place.