On the nature of time, relativity and quantum theory
Princeton, 10 September 1952
Important information about this lot
Price Realised USD 56,250
Estimate
USD 18,000 - USD 25,000
Estimates do not reflect the final hammer price and do not include buyer's premium, any applicable taxes or artist's resale right. Please see the Conditions of Sale for full details.
Loading details
Try our
On the nature of time, relativity and quantum theory
Place de la Taconnerie 8, Geneva, 1204, Switzerland
Phone: +1 212 636 2002
Fax: +41 22 319 1767
Brought to you by
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
Lot Essay
On the nature of time, including a diagram of a point in space-time.
'In special relativity one can satisfy the specific character of space-time through Minkowski's imaginary time-coordinate. In general relativity, however, the fourth coordinate has nothing to do with adjacency in time ... If one now considers in one point two opposed temporal directions, one might well say that one is directed towards the future, the other towards the past. The field laws however show no dissimilarity between these two directions. And this is as in classical theory with the positive and negative directions of time. Such a distinction only has sense on the basis of the second principle, so is based not on the form of the elementary laws but only on the conditions at the limits (improbability with respect to order grows in the negative direction of time)'.
Einstein points out that Besso's proposal (that a field of probability originates from each realisation) is completely at odds with contemporary quantum theory: 'A real state absolutely cannot be described in the present quantum theory ... "Orthodox" quantum theorists absolutely proscribe the notion of the real state. One thus gets into a situation which corresponds fairly accurately with the one described by the good Bishop Berkeley'. [The 18th-century philospher George Berkeley famously posed the question: 'If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?']. Evidently this is an uncomfortable intellectual status, even if it is, for the time being, the only way of reconciling quantum theory with experience. Einstein is however convinced that the truth is far removed from current teaching, and remains hopeful that his approach, of a 'general relativistic theory of the unsymmetrical field' may still be the right one, even if the mathematical difficulties for comparing it with reality remain insurmountable. 'However that may be, in any case we are still as far removed from a truly rational theory (of the double nature of light quanta and particles) as we were more than 50 years ago!'.
Related Articles
Sorry, we are unable to display this content. Please check your connection.
You have agreed to be bound by the Conditions of Sale and if your bid is successful, you are legally obliged to pay for the lot you have won. The purchase price for a successful bid will be the sum of your final bid plus a buyer’s premium, any applicable taxes and any artist resale royalty, exclusive of shipping-related expenses.
Condition report
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
In our opinion there are no significant condition issues.
The condition of lots sold can vary widely due to factors such as age, previous damage, restoration, repair, and wear and tear. The nature of the lots sold means that they will rarely be in perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
Cost calculator
Lot 48Sale 15777
Princeton, 10 September 1952On the nature of time, relativity and quantum theoryEstimate: USD 18,000 - 25,000
Enter your bid amount for an estimated cost
Bid amount
Please enter numbers onlyAmount must be higher than the starting bidAmount must be higher than the current bid