Einstein and Time
Albert Einstein
1879 -1855
In this podcast, Jack and Mark discuss the general notion of a physical property. They then focus on the physical property called time and how difficult it is to define and measure. To gain a practical understanding of this important idea, the evolution of the calendar is described. This is followed by an overview of Einstein's concept of spacetime and his famous claim that time is just an illusion.
Podcast length: 1:04:07
Show Notes:
Selected Awards and Publications associated with Albert Einstein:
Einstein's Nobel Prize Medal (1921)
(Back Side)
On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies (1905). In this paper, Einstein introduced the Special Theory of Relativity.
Discussed in the episode:
These units are associated with the seven physical properties that are recognized by the scientific community. All other units are derived from them.
The Gregorian Calendar was established in 1852. It is the calendar that almost all humans use today.
Albert Einstein (Credit: Fred Stein Archive)
Einstein's view of spacetime has spawned the notion that all events in present from a certain perspective, are mathematical artifacts that can express themselves as past, present or future from a different perspective. In other words, as Einstein says, "Time is a stubornly persistent illusion."
Visualization of time dilation and length contraction for a moving clock
Quote misattributed to Einstein. It appeared in quotes in the New York Times in 1929, as an anectdote popular at the time. However, he never said it.
Video found in the online article "What is a Block Universe". Click here to read the article.
Image of the Block Theory of the Universe. To understand more, read this online article by Dr. Kristie Miller, "The Block Universe Theory, Where Time Travel is Possible But Time Passing Is an Illusion."
Other items of interest related to this podcast:
In a lecture in Kyoto on December 14, 1922, Einstein is reported to have said:
"Why are these two things inconsistent with each other? I felt that I was facing an extremely difficult problem. I suspected that Lorentz’s ideas had to be modified somehow, but spent almost a year on fruitless thoughts. And I felt that was puzzle not to be easily solved.
But a friend of mine living in living in Bern (Switzerland) [Michele Besso] helped me by chance. One beautiful day, I visited him and said to him: ‘I presently have a problem that I have been totally unable to solve. Today I have brought this “struggle” with me.’ We then had extensive discussions, and suddenly I realized the solution. The very next day, I visited him again and immediately said to him: ‘Thanks to you, I have completely solved my problem.”
My solution actually concerned the concept of time. Namely, time cannot be absolutely defined by itself, and there is an unbreakable connection between time and signal velocity.
Using this idea, I could now resolve the great difficulty that I previously felt. After I had this inspiration, it took only five weeks to complete what is now known as the special theory of relativity."
Translation from Stachel, John (2002) Einstein from ‘B’ to ‘Z.’: Einstein Studies, Volume 9. Boston: Birkhäuser, p. 185.