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From; http://www.reciprocalsystem.com/bn/index.htm 
 
Beyond Newton
DEWEY B. LARSON 
PrefacePart One: The Problem Part Two: The Answer Part Three: The Theory  
 
Part Four: The Opposition 
 
Part Five: The Discussion References 
Preface
In my previous publication
The Structure of the Physical Universe
, I found it necessary todiscuss a very wide range of phenomena in order to get a broad enough coverage toestablish the validity of the fundamental postulates on which the work is based. This, of course, limited the space that could be devoted to each subject and precluded any attemptat a detailed examination of specific areas. I have had in mind, therefore, that when theopportunity presented itself, I would follow the original work with some supplementarydiscussions that would carry the development into more detail in some areas of particularinterest. This present volume is a work of this kind, directed primarily at the subject of gravitation: one of the basic phenomena of the universe.I should perhaps explain why the title is
 Beyond Newton
and not
 Beyond Einstein
, since
Einstein’s work is generally regarded as occupying the more advanced position. Myfindings indicate that Newton’s Law of Gravitation is correct, so far as it goes, and that
the functions of such a work as this are first, to clarify the application of this gravitationalIaw án those areas where its validity is now in question, and second, to furnish anexplanation for each of the characteristics of gravitation, including particularly the twoitems which Newton made no attempt to determine: the origin of the gravitational forcewhich he postulated and the mech'anism whereby this force is exerted.
In the course of this development it has become apparent that Einstein’s theory of 
gravitation is not on the main line leading to the defined objectives; it branches off on aside track that leads ta a dead end. It has therefore been necessary to retrace the steps that
have been taken under Einstein’s guidance, and to go forward along a new route from the
point where Newton stopped to the new destination Beyond Newton.
 
 DEWEY B. LARSON  August,1963
 
 Part One
 The Problem
The more we study gravitation, the more there grows upon us the feeling that there is something peculiarly fundamental about this phenomenon to a degree that is unequaled among other natural phenomena. Its independence of the factors that affect other phenomena and its dependence onlyupon mass and distance suggest that its roots avoid things superficial and go down deep into theunseen, to the very essence of matter and space.
 Paul R. Heyl
Scientific Monthly
 May, 1954
I
 
GRAVITATION: STILL A MYSTERY
(Title of article by Paul R. Heyl,
Scientific Monthly,
May 1954)
GRAVITATION: AN ENIGMA
(Title of article by Robert H. Dicke,
 American Scientist,
March, 1959)Here is an unintentional but graphic commentary on the progress that has been and isbeing made toward an understanding of one of the most Conspicuous and mostfundamental of all physical phenomena. At the time Heyl wrote his article, almost threehundred years after Newton first grasped the significance of the falling apple andformulated the mathematical expression which represents the gravitational force andenables us to calculate its magnitude with extreme precision, the nature and origin of the
 phenomenon could still be described as a ―mystery.‖ Five more years of effort by
scientists of the highest caliber sufficed only to raise this mystery to the status of an
―enigma‖ : a rather imperceptible advance, to say the least. ―It (gravitation) may
well be
the most fundamental and least understood of the interactions,‖
1
 Dicke tells us.Of course, some scientists disagree with this evaluation, and Dicke concedes in his article
that many of his colleagues would take exception to the use of the term ―enigma‖ in this
connection. However, the record clearly corroborates the opinions of these two specialistsin gravitational research. Some progress has been made in the experimental field since
 Newton’s day, but aside from the accurate measurement of the gravitational constant, the
experimental gains have been largely of a negative character; that is, they consist of increasingly precise measurements which demonstrate the absence of certain effects thatmight be expected, or at least suspected. Progress toward a theoretical understanding has
 been meager; indeed the growing disillusionment with Einstein’s General Relativity
Theory indicates that progress along this line is practically non-existent.This General Theory is the only major theoretical step taken since Newton, which caneven claim to have any factual backing, and while it achieved widespread acceptance
 
initially, doubt as to whether the claims made on its behalf are justified has been
increasing as time goes on. As Dicke appraises the situation, ―In addition todissatisfaction with the scanty observational evidence supporting Einstein’s theory of 
gravitation, there are certain conceptual difficulties which are a source of doubt
concerning the complete correctness of the theory in its present form.‖
2
 Similarexpressions of skepticism are currently being voiced by many other observers. H. Bonditells u
s, for example, ―The very few and minor points of discrepancy (between Newton’sgravitational theory and Einstein’s) are observationally not too firmly established.‖
3
 Louis de Bro
glie elaborates this same thought: ―The new phenomena predicted by it (the
General Theory) are indeed very small and, even when they are actually observed, it canalways be asked if they really have their origin in the cause which the theory of Einsteinattributes to them, or rather in some other very small perturbation which was neglected in
the analysis.‖
4
 
Werner Heisenberg adds, ―For the theory of general relativity the
experimental evidence is much less convincing... this whole theory is more hypothetical
than the first one (the Special Theory).‖
5
 G. J. Whitrow concurs in this appraisal of theobservati
onal evidence: ―... the General Theory has a far less impressive list of crucialempirical tests to its credit,‖ and he comments further, ―... there is an ambiguity latent in
this method (of reducing gravitation to geometry)... Indeed, in developing the theory this
ambiguity continually arises.‖
6
 Martin Johnson tells us that Einstein followed up his 1905
success with a ―less certifiable sequel in 1915 which has in some of its impli
cations ledscience astray.
7
 Even Henry Margenau, one of the strong supporters of the Relativity
doctrine, admits that General Relativity has ―suffered a certain loss of glory.‖
8
 E. A. Milne may be regarded as somewhat prejudiced on this score, as he is the author of a competing theory, but the mere fact that competent investigators such as Milne see anecessity for some other approach is itself a serious reflection on the adequacy of the
General Theory, and Milne’s comments are therefore of interest in this connection.General Relativity, he says, ―in the writer’s opinion, is of a nature alien to the maintradition in mathematical physics.‖
9
 
Bondi sums up the situation: ―It (the General
Theory) is considered to be correct by a majority of theoretical physicists, but there is asubs
tantial minority that considers it to be wrong or, at least, not established.‖
10
 The
existence of this ―substantial minority‖ is all the more significant when we note the kind
of individuals who are included in the group: specialists in gravitational research such asDicke and Heyl, world-renowned leaders in the field of physics such as Bridgman, deBroglie and Heisenberg, active investigators in the areas where General Relativity shouldbe most applicable, such as Bondi, Whitrow, Johnson and Milne, and so on.A factor that has contributed heavily to this increasing skepticism as to the validity of theGeneral Theory is that it seems to have arrived at a dead end. One of the criteria by whichwe are able to recognize a sound physical theory is the manner in which it fits in withexisting knowledge in related fields and sheds new light on phenomena other than that for
which it was originally constructed. The failure of Einstein’s gra
vitational theory toaccomplish anything of this nature or to show the normal amount of improvement of itsown internal structure during the half century that has elapsed since its inceptiontherefore weighs heavily against it. Freeman J. Dyson describes the situation in this
manner: ―... the view of the world (given by General Relativity)... has remained since1929 almost totally sterile ―.
11
 
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Theosophist

All of Dewey's books are NON-FICTION - - - NON-FICTION

reply05 / 31 / 2009
Theosophist

All of Dewey's books are available free at http://www.reciprocalsystem.com/dbl/i... Special Thanks & Praise to the folks who set this site up.

reply05 / 27 / 2009
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