how important was einstein, really?

HallsofIvy

A little of both! Einstein wrote four papers in 1905: on the Photoelectric Effect (March), Brownian Motion (which some people believe to be most important), May, Special Relativity, June, and "[itex]E= mc^2[/itex]", September, . He received his Ph.D. in June of 1905, after his papers on the Photoelectric effect and Brownian Motion but before his two papers on relativity! He was a patent examiner both before and after he received the Ph.D. His dissertation, by the way, was titled "A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions". His paper on Brownian Motion was derived from his dissertation.

julian

wall 1. Brownian motion - statistal physics
wall 2. special relativity
wall 3. quantum mechanics (Photo-electric effect)
wall 4 . General relativity.

julian

I have wondered just how clever E was. Other people have broken down wall after wall after wall. E (only!) did it 4 times. However the wall breaking E did required a mind unlike any other!!...

... Now there is something called the hole agument...E and Hilbert both had their own version of it...both were in a furious battle to arrive at the resolution if it...not just deriving the field equations - christ any advanced undergraduate worth his salt can derive the vacuum field equations....the hole argument on the other hand....

Einstien called the resolution of the hole argument "beyond my wildest expectations" - E had a deeper impact on 'our' understanding of spacetime than most people know. His smartness equals his reputation - it's just most people dont appreciate why.

D H

Not in physics. The best that the vast majority of professional physicists can claim is making a tiny little chisel mark in a wall. The number of physicists who have broken down even one wall is a very small number. You can arguably use your fingers and toes to count them. The number who have broken down two: You don't need your toes any more. More than two: One hand will suffice.

A better way to say this: Einstein did it four times!

Flustered

How does Einstein have conversations about quantum mechanics but yet he was not a mathematician. Also it is said that he thinks in pictures and not words. How can he write such papers?

nitsuj

I wouldn't think you knew the guy.

George Jones

This thread has too little science content to remain open.