Is relativity Jewish? The Nazis denigrated Albert Einstein's revolutionary theory by calling it ''Jewish science,'' a charge typical of the ideological excesses of Hitler and his followers. Philosopher of science Steven Gimbel explores the many meanings of this provocative phrase and considers whether there is any sense in which Einstein's theory of relativity is Jewish. Arguing that we must take seriously the possibility that the Nazis were in some sense correct, Gimbel examines Einstein and his work to explore how beliefs, background, and environment mayor may notinfluence the work of the scientist. You cannot understand Einstein's science, Gimbel declares, without knowing the history, religion, and philosophy that influenced it. No one, especially Einstein himself, denies Einstein's Jewish heritage, but many are uncomfortable saying that he was a Jew while he was at his desk working. To understand what ''Jewish'' means for Einstein's work, Gimbel first explores the many definitions of ''Jewish'' and asks whether there are elements of Talmudic thinking apparent in Einstein's theory of relativity. He applies this line of inquiry to other scientists, including Isaac Newton, René Descartes, Sigmund Freud, and Émile Durkheim, to consider whether and how their specific religious beliefs or backgrounds manifested in their scientific endeavors. Einstein's Jewish Science intertwines science, history, philosophy, theology, and politics in fresh and fascinating ways to solve the multifaceted riddle of what religion meansand what it means to science. There are some senses, Gimbel claims, in which Jews can find a special connection to E = mc2, and this claim leads to the engaging, spirited debate at the heart of this book.
Introduction: Einstein's Jewish Science 1. Is Einstein a Jew? 2. Is Relativity Pregnant with Jewish Concepts? 3. Why Did a Jew Formulate the Theory of Relativity? 4. Is the Theory of Relativity Political Science or Scientific Politics? 5. Did Relativity Influence the Jewish Intelligentsia? 6. Einstein's Liberal Science? Conclusion: Einstein's Cosmopolitan Science Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
""To understand Gimbel's argument about the Jewish quality of Einstein's approach'and to perceive the boldness of Gimbel's decision to re-examine twentieth-century, anti-Semitic ideas about 'Jewish science''it's necessary first to understand the historical moment out of which the theory of relativity emerged.""
