New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-11
the roughness OF our means Of Oh
servation.
Simple Laws Are True.

I'm most parts of physics simplicity
has sooner or later to give place 10
completely: though certainly / urge
that the simple laws were true. ana
are still true, as far as they go. their
inaccuracy being only detected by fur
Their real discovery The reason they
are departed from becomes known to
US; the law Is not really disobeyed, but
Is modified through the action or a
known additional cause. Hence 1t Is
all in the direction Of progress
'1f we had to summarize the main
trend Of physical controversy at pres
cnt. feel inclined to urge that IL
largely turns on the question as to
which way ultimate victory lies in the
fight between Continuity and Discon-
tinuity.
"On the surface Of nature nj first we
sec discontnuity; objects detached and
countable. Then We realize the air and
other media. and 50 emphasize con-
tinuity and flowing quantities. Then
we detect atoms and numerical prop
critics, and discontinuity once more
makes it's appearance. Then We In
vent the Ether, and are impressed with
continuity again. But this is not likely
10 be the end; and what the ultimate
end will be. or whether there is an
ultimate end. is a question difficult to
answer"
Sir Oliver then discussed the atomic
theory at length. which he said might
be expressed as "an invasion OF num-
her into unsupported regions and also
the controversial topic OF the Principle
of Relatively. If that principle in an
extreme sense esta bished Itself he
said. sit seems as IL even Time would
become discontinuous and be supplied
In atoms, as money is doled out IN
pence or ccntimeS instead OF continu-
ously: i'm which case our customary eX-
istenCe will turn out TO be no more
really continuous tnan the events on
kincmatOgraph screen, while that great
agent Of continuity, the Ether Of Space
will be RELOCATED to the museum Of
historical curiosites.
Post Newtonian Revolution.
I'm that case differcntial equations
will cease to represent the facts of
nature; they will have to be replaced
by Finite Differences, and the most
fundamental revolution since Newton
will be inaugurated.
Nov, in all the debatable matters
Of which | have indicated possibilities
! want TO urge a conservative attitude.
| accept the new experimental results
on which some OF these thcories-such
as the Principle OF Rclativity-arc
based, and am profoundly interested in
them, but | do not feel that they arc
so revolutionary as their propoundcrs
think. | see d way to retain the old
and yet embrace the new. and ] urge
moderation in the uprooting and re-
moval of landmarks.
And Of these the chief is Continuity.
| cannot imagine the cXcrtion Of mo
Chanical force across empty space. no
matter how minute. continuous me
dunn seems to me essential. ! cannot
admit discontinuity in either Space or
Time: nor can | imagine any sort Of
experiment which would justify such
hypothesis. For surely We must re-
alize that We know nothing expert
mental Of either space or time; We
cannot modify them IN any way. We
make experiments ON bodies. and only
on bodies. using body az an exceed
ingly general term.
Very well, then. what about the
Ether? Is that in the same prcdics-
ment? Is that an abstraction or a
mere convention. or Is II a concrete
physical entity on which We can OK
pertinent" Sir Oliver then discussed
at length the difficulties that lie i'm ca
periments on ether and the results
thereof 10 date.
Observation OF Ether Difficult.
at is the extreme omniproscncc and
uniformity and universal agency Of tho
Ether Of Space" he said. that mako It
50 difficult 10 observe. To observe any
thing YOU must have difference If
all actions at a distance are conducted
1T the same rate through tho Ether. the
travel Of none VI them can be observed.
Find something not conveyed by the
Ether and there is chance. But. then.
every physical action is transmitted by
the Ether, and in every case by means
Of its transverse or radiation-likc ac-
tivity.
Except perhaps Grsyitation. That
may give us a Glow some day. but at
present NO have not been able TO de-
tect its speed Of transmission 81 all.
No plan has been devised for mcasur-
ing il. Nothing short of the creation
or destruction of matter seems likely
10 serve: creation or destruction of the
gravitational unit. whether il be- an
atom or an electron or whatever il Il.
Most likely the unit of weight is an
clcctron, just as the unit Of mass is.
Speaking as u physicist I must claim
the Ether as peculiarly our own do
main. The study Of molecules Ne
share with the chemist, and ratter III
its various forms Is investigated b. all
mon OF science, but study of the