Inconsistent Conversations

“The several statements which Einstein made to me in Princeton concerning the Michelson-Morley experiment are not entirely consistent, as mentioned above and in my earlier publication. His statements and attitudes towards the Michelson-Morley experiment underwent a progressive change during the course of our several conversations.

I wrote down within a few minutes after each meeting exactly what I recalled that he had said.

On 4 February 1950 he said, "... that he had become aware of it through the writings of H. A. Lorentz, but only after 1905 had it come to his attention." But at a later meeting on 24 October, 1952 he said, "I am not sure when I first heard of the Michelson experiment. I was not conscious that it had influenced me directly during the seven years that relativity had been my life. I guess I just took it for granted that it was true."

However, in the years 1905-1909 (he told me) he thought a great deal about Michelson's result in his discussions with Lorentz and others, and then he realised (so he told me) that he "had been conscious of Michelson' s result before 1905 partly through his reading of the papers of Lorentz and more because he had simply assumed this result of Michelson to be true."

Since there are these conflicting statements it may be of interest to comment further on this situation.”

– R.S. SHANKLAND

Source: Archive.org

A Beggar Clothed in Purple

“Einstein's relativity work is a magnificent mathematical garb which fascinates, dazzles and makes people blind to the underlying errors. The theory is like a beggar clothed in purple whom ignorant people take for a king... its exponents are brilliant men but they are metaphysicists rather than scientists.”

– Nikola Tesla