9 papers
Einstein Was Not a Flat Physicalist: Principle Theories, Constructive Theories, and the Direction of Constraint
Galina Weinstein
Einstein's distinction between principle theories and constructive theories is methodological rather than metaphysical. Principle theories such as thermodynamics and relativity art…
From Drag to Invariance: The Experimental Pressure Behind Special Relativity
Galina Weinstein
This paper completes a three-part study of Einstein's 1905 special relativity by reconstructing the experimental pressures that shaped his thinking from 1895 to June 1905. Followin…
Comment on "Comment on Galina Weinstein's article entitled 'Convergences and Divergences: Einstein Poincaré and Special Relativity' "
Galina Weinstein
This paper provides a systematic response to the criticisms raised by Jean-Marc Ginoux in response to my review of his book on the history of relativity. Whereas my review was writ…
Lorentz, Poincaré, and Einstein: Rethinking Doppler, Aberration, and the Fresnel Drag
Galina Weinstein
This paper examines Lorentz's 1895 derivations of the classical Doppler formula and Fresnel drag, Einstein's 1905 derivation of the relativistic Doppler effect and aberration, and…
Convergences and Divergences: Einstein, Poincaré, and Special Relativity
Galina Weinstein
Jean-Marc Ginoux's recent book, "Poincaré, Einstein and the Discovery of Special Relativity: An End to the Controversy" (2024), seeks to close the debate over the respective roles…
Einstein's Hidden Scaffolding, with a Glance at Poincaré
Galina Weinstein
This paper reconstructs the derivations underlying the kinematical part of Einstein's 1905 special relativity paper, emphasizing their operational clarity and minimalist use of mat…