Does Einstein really explain everything about gravity? Is there more?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the extent to which Einstein's theory of general relativity explains gravity, particularly focusing on the question of why mass and energy warp spacetime. Participants explore the implications of general relativity and the philosophical aspects of understanding gravity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that while Einstein's theory describes gravity as the warping of spacetime, it does not explain why mass warps spacetime.
  • One participant emphasizes that gravitational effects are known through empirical observation rather than mathematical deduction.
  • Another participant points out that neither Einstein nor any scientist has definitively explained how mass causes gravity, referencing Newton's stance on the matter.
  • There is a discussion about the role of energy in creating gravity, with some asserting that it is not just mass but also energy that contributes to gravitational effects.
  • Participants debate the fundamental nature of the question regarding why mass/energy causes spacetime to warp, with some suggesting that such questions may ultimately be unanswerable.
  • One participant argues that the concept of curved spacetime is a mathematical model, questioning the need for a deeper explanation beyond its definition.
  • Another participant highlights that the pursuit of "why" questions can lead to unresolvable inquiries that do not enhance scientific understanding.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of gravity and the adequacy of general relativity in explaining it. There is no consensus on whether the questions raised about the fundamental nature of gravity can be satisfactorily answered.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions hinge on the definitions of terms like "fundamental" and the philosophical implications of scientific inquiry, which may not be universally agreed upon.

T.O.E Dream
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Although Albert Einstein had explained the new picture of gravity through his theory of general relativity, by explaining that gravity is the warping of spacetime, did he explain why mass actually warps this fabric of spacetime?
 
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Didn't you ask this earlier?
 
T.O.E Dream said:
Although Albert Einstein had explained the new picture of gravity through his theory of general relativity, by explaining that gravity is the warping of spacetime, did he explain why mass actually warps this fabric of spacetime?

The answer to your question is no. I am not a GR expert but I have studied the theory in mathematical detail and the underlying fact that gravitational effects are caused by mass-energy seems only to be known by experience i.e. it is not deduced mathematically (a priori) but only empirically (a posteori).
 
Neither Einstein nor, as far as I know, any scientist has ever claimed to explain how mass is "causes" gravity. Newton said, in regard to that question, "Hypothesen non fengo", "I frame no hypotheses" and it is still true. That, I suspect, would be one of the deepest questions of physics.
 
cristo said:
Didn't you ask this earlier?
Yeah I did, i wanted to delete the other one first but i didn't know how and i wasn't sure if i can.
 
mass or energy creates gravity not just mass.
 
To follow up on cragar's point. The source of gravity in GR is the stress-energy tensor which includes energy (mass often being the dominant source of energy), momentum, pressure, and stress. It is incorrect to say that mass alone causes gravity.
 
cragar said:
mass or energy creates gravity not just mass.

Okay, but the question wasn't what creates gravity, the question was why does mass/energy cause spacetime to warp? On a very fundamental level.
 
T.O.E Dream said:
Okay, but the question wasn't what creates gravity, the question was why does mass/energy cause spacetime to warp? On a very fundamental level.
Define "very fundamental level". :smile: Also don't forget that curved spacetime is just a mathematical model. You could just as well ask: Why does force change the velocity of a body. The answer is: Because force is a mathematical abstraction that was defined this way.
 
  • #10
T.O.E Dream said:
Okay, but the question wasn't what creates gravity, the question was why does mass/energy cause spacetime to warp? On a very fundamental level.
Any problem in science or philosophy or anything else in life can be turned into an undending string of "why"s that eventually become unanswerable except to say "that's just the way it is". That may be unsettling to you, but it is a reality that you must deal with - scientists do and as a result, there is a limit to how far they will go with such questions. Eventually, they really are pointless. They don't add any value to scientific knowledge.
 
  • #11
By the way, TOE Dream, that is what the word "fundamental" means. If there were an answer to the question "why" then that answer would be the fundamental one.
 

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