The Tests of Time: Readings in the Development of Physical Theory

The development of physical theory is one of our greatest intellectual achievements. Its products—the currently prevailing theories of physics, astronomy, and cosmology—have proved themselves to possess intrinsic beauty and to have enormous explanatory and predictive power. This anthology of primary readings chronicles the birth and maturation of five such theories (the heliocentric theory, the electromagnetic field theory, special and general relativity, quantum theory, and the big bang th...