MENU

Fun & Interesting

Ernst Mach's approach to physics definitions | Sociology and Pure Physics

Video Not Working? Fix It Now

There is a curious parallel between definitional difficulties in physics and in mathematics. The Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach (1838 - 1916) advocated a particularly empirical approach to how fundamental concepts in physics ought to be introduced: by linking definitions to explicit measurements. In this video we discuss Mach's thinking, talk about the difficulties with several fundamental elementary concepts in physics, especially the problematic issue of "mass", which has seen considerable evolution over the centuries, up to modern quantum field theory. And then we compare the situation with the corresponding difficulties in modern pure mathematics where definitions often float freely in a thought bubble ultimately pinned down by "prior understanding" and "intuition" rather than by explicit procedures for writing down expressions. This discussion is particularly important when we try to understand Special Relativity. Video Contents: 00:00 Ernst Mach 2:02 Key concepts of physics 5:10 Critical role of mass 12:16 Confusions in physics and in mathematics *********************** My research papers can be found at my Research Gate page, at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Norman_Wildberger My blog is at http://njwildberger.com/, where I will discuss lots of foundational issues, along with other things. Online courses are being developed at openlearning.com. The first one, already underway, is Algebraic Calculus One at https://www.openlearning.com/courses/algebraic-calculus-one/ Please join us for an exciting new approach to one of mathematics' most important subjects! If you would like to support these new initiatives for mathematics education and research, please consider becoming a Patron of this Channel at https://www.patreon.com/njwildberger Your support would be much appreciated. Here are the Insights into Mathematics Playlists: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL55C7C83781CF4316 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3C58498718451C47 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5A714C94D40392AB https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85BhzJ-oWNug1YtUjfWp1qAp https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85Bfc-S4WHvTIM7E-ir3nAOf https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85D94vHAB8joyFTH4dmVJ_Fw https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8403C2F0C89B1333 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85CcGpZpO542YLPeDIf1jqXK https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85Aqe2b4FBWUGJdYROT6-o4e https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85DB7CzoFWvA920NES3g8tJH https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85A-qCypcmZqRvaS1pGXpTua https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85DH__ZzGQWQrVRxlbKh-Nsa https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85CdeBmQZ2QiCEnPQn5KQ6ov https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85AMigTyprOuf__daeklnLse https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85CnIGIWb7tH1F_S2PyOC8rb https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85CN9oJ4gYkuSQQhAtpIucuI https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85DWUiFYYGqJVtfnkUFWkKtP https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6763F57A61FE6FE8 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBF39AFBBC3FB30AF https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85DSrlV6NX8RMBksZhdTHtwW https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85Bmcc9ksBOAKgIZAl0BwPg7 Here are the Wild Egg Maths Playlists (some available only to Members!) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz4rKFN541wFKvKPSg5Ea6XB https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz4VlOppC5CN0D0GjrjvBGKy https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz5VLVr-0LPPgm4T1mtU_DG- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz6zpIZ4Y_RK9zyJ9OufqNJv https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz7hk_Kzj4zDF_kUXBCtiGn6 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz5j1BJdXBw1MFst_nQAqzZ_ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz5HWgaVkhIwpGVKi6fciRxW https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz5HBT_Yo1G4DfeqUfI9zkKM https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz7LKbuJAHaXAhRj2ylD0OoX https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz6VcJQ5xcuqY6g4DWjvpmjM https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz6MwUTOHRgC0oIxVtaHGQBd https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz4KD007Ge10dfrDVc4YwlYS https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzdiPTrEWyz4IknbwXMEVwxOWS3z1Ch3C ************************

Comment