Relativity Principles and Theories from Galileo to Einstein

This book is not only an accurate history of the physical relativity principles of motion during the last three hundred years, it is also an important book about the cognitive relativity of scientists’ understanding of issues that once were challenging but which present day physicists consider commonsense. * Jan Faye, Metascience *Students and professionals will benefit from access to this unique work by an accomplished researcher. * A Spero, CHOICE *As an exercise in long-term history, it demonstrates the connectivity of issues and approaches across several centuries, despite enormous changes in context and culture. As an account of the genesis of relativity theories, it brings unprecedented clarity and fullness by broadening the spectrum of resources on which the principal actors drew. * zb Math Open *Truly excellent and fills an important gap in the research landscape on relativity. * Juergen Renn, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin *Well thought out and could become the definitive work that connects the developments pertinent to relativity from the 17th century to the present. * John D. Norton, University of Pittsburgh *This first rate work pulls together many historical scientific strands, and is certain to initiate a lively discussion. * Diana Kormos-Buchwald, Caltech *

Olivier Darrigol studied physics at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, the history and philosophy of physics at the Sorbonne and at UC-Berkeley’s Office for History of Science and Technology (OHST). He is the author of several books on the history of quantum physics, electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, and optics. He is currently a Research Director in the SPHere research team at CNRS, and a Research Associate at UC-Berkeley’s OHST.