How important was Einstein, really?

[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 don't appreciate why.

 

[D H]

I have wondered just how clever E was. Other people have broken down wall after wall after wall.

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.

E (only!) did it 4 times.

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]

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?

I wouldn't think you knew the guy.

 

[George Jones]

This thread has too little science content to remain open.