Quote: laws of nature should be valid in any 4-d system of coordinates that preserves neighboring events; like Gauss's theory of surfaces

Quotation

In an analogous way [to Gauss's theory of surfaces] we shall introduce in the general theory of relativity arbitrary co-ordinates ... which shall number uniquely the space-time points, so that neighbouring events are associated with neighbouring values of the co-ordinates; otherwise, the choice of co-ordinates is arbitrary. We shall be true to the principle of relativity in its broadest sense if we give such a form to the laws that they are valid in every such four-dimensional system of co- ordinates.   Google-1   Google-2

Published before 1923

Related Topics

Group: philosophy of mathematics   (11 topics, 330 quotes)
Topic: general relativity (47 items)