Relational Mechanics [Paperback]

Andre Koch Torres Assis (Author), Andre K. T. Assis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0968368921 | ISBN-13: 978-0968368923 | Publication Date: May 1, 1999

Presents a new mechanics that replaces Einstein's theories of relativity and Implements Mach's principle quantitatively based on Weber's relational law and the principle of dynamical equilibrium. The theory explains Newton's bucket experiment as due to gravitational interaction between the water and the distant universe when in relative motion. The book is intended for physicists, engineers, mathematicians, historians, philosophers of science and students.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Andre Koch Torres Assis was born in Brazil (1962) and educated at the University of Campinas – UNICAMP, BS (1983), PhD (1987). He spent the academic year of 1988 in England with a post-doctoral position at the Culham Laboratory (United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority). He spent one year in 1991-92 as a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Electromagnetics Research of Northeastern University (Boston, USA). From August 2001 to November 2002, and from February to May 2009, he worked at the Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Hamburg University (Hamburg, Germany) with research fellowships awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany. He is the author of Weber’s Electrodynamics (1994), Relational Mechanics (1999), Inductance and Force Calculations in Electrical Circuits (with M. A. Bueno, 2001), The Electric Force of a Current (with J. A. Hernandes, 2007), and Archimedes, the Center of Gravity, and the First Law of Mechanics (2008). He has been professor of physics at UNICAMP since 1989, working on the foundations of electromagnetism, gravitation, and cosmology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 285 pages
• Publisher: Apeiron (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0968368921
• ISBN-13: 978-0968368923
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,275,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The seven errors game, February 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Relational Mechanics (Paperback)

This book has two parts, the first concerning Classical Mechanics and Mach's ideas. The second criticizes relativity and introduces an alternative theory ("relational mechanics") of the author. To the first one I rate 5 stars, to the second I rate zero stars so actually the 3 stars above represents 2.5.
The first part of this book is a time machine: You can breath the construction of Mechanics since Newton until Mach. It sends you to exactly 100 years ago, 1904, before Einstein's special relativity, so you can understantd (with the eyes of the epoch) what problems Classical Mechanics was presenting to the physicists of the time. It is a really beautiful exposition of the ideas and critics to Classical Mechanics at that moment, broadly grouped under Mach's name. Although Mach had good points about what was wrong with classical mechanics, he proposed no theory to substitute the Newtonian one. He gave just general ideas. One can say that the theory proposed by the author in the second part of the book is a candidate which "implements" (at least in the particular interpretation of Mach's ideas adopted by the author) a theory that Mr. Mach would find better.
But if Mach had time to live until nowadays he would be the first to discard this proposed theory, just because it can not explain the most simple data we have (e.g, clock's delay in gravitational fields, muons life-time in atmosphere, redshift, etc, etc). So now I explain the zero star I gave to the second part: it's not because I like or dislike his theory, but because the author's presentation in this part of the book is not honest. He tries to criticize Special and General relativity, but the arguments just show how much he does not understand of the theory. To find the error in his arguments can be a good "seven errors game" to a physics student, e.g., the author misunderstanding of standard relativity topics (like the "twin paradox" for example). The author adopts a particular interpretation of Mach ideas, and when he verifies that his particular interpretation is not implemented in General Relativity, his conclusion is that Einstein theory is wrong. In another words, the position presented in the book is that "If the theory does not fulfill my philosophical prejudices, it's wrong.".
It is not a question of to be "open minded" or "follower". It is just a question of comparison of theory and experiments. In this regard, relational mechanics is wrong: It does not explain nature as we see it by the experiments. It's simple. No big deal here about conspirations, followers or discriminated geniuses.
In the end of the day, this is a instigating book. It makes you think, even when it is wrong.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars crackpot material, October 1, 2010

By 

Benjamin Crowell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relational Mechanics (Paperback)

This is crackpot material.

Assis's theory, which assumes that time is absolute, violates a vast number of high-precision tests of special relativity.

It is also inconsistent with cosmological expansion, and therefore requires the "tired light" hypothesis to hold. But tired light has been conclusively disproved in a number of different ways; for one example, see Blondin et al., "Time Dilation in Type Ia Supernova Spectra at High Redshift," ApJ 682 (2008) 724.

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For open-minded Science lovers, only! Not for followers..., October 27, 2003

By 

Marcelo de Almeida Bueno (Campinas, SP Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relational Mechanics (Paperback)

This masterpiece summarizes Dr. Andre Assis' studies of the basis of two main Mechanics theories in Physics from the last millennium: Classical Mechanics, founded by Sir Isaac Newton, and Relativity Mecahnics (both, Special and General), founded by Albert Einstein.

All the criticisms presented by Ernst Mach to the Newton's theory, which Einstein tried to overcome in his theories but failed to do so, are revised and explained in details.

Beyond a clear historical perspective of the problems faced by these two main theories, Dr. Assis presents his own theory of Mechanics (Relational), one that suceeds in implementing the Mach's Principle.

After reading this book, with an open-minded attitude, it will be difficult to support the Mecahnics theories currently accepted by the establishment!