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Einstein, The Hole Argument and the Reality of Space

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Measurement, Realism and Objectivity

Part of the book series: Australasian Studies in History and Philosophy of Science ((AUST,volume 5))

Abstract

In November 1915, Einstein put the finishing touches to his general theory of relativity. Then he proclaimed that the theory, through its general covariance, “robbed time and space of the last trace of objective reality” (Einstein, 1915, p. 831). This triumphant proclamation was repeated early in 1916 in a review of the theory. The requirement of general covariance “takes away from space and time the last remnant of physical objectivity.” (Einstein, 1916, p. 117).

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© 1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland

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Norton, J. (1987). Einstein, The Hole Argument and the Reality of Space. In: Forge, J. (eds) Measurement, Realism and Objectivity. Australasian Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3919-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3919-6_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8238-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3919-6

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