Talk:Albert Einstein

Number of Papers in 1905 is in error

Under the section First Scientific Papers is the statement: Also in 1905, which has been called Einstein's annus mirabilis (amazing year), he published four groundbreaking papers, on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, special relativity, and the equivalence of mass and energy, which were to bring him to the notice of the academic world, at the age of 26.

It was not four papers but three: The paper on Relativity contains the derivation of the equivalence of mass and energy, as a footnote within the paper. It was not in a separate paper as this section states. 2600:1700:7890:5A40:E5D4:FE28:5E1E:581C (talk) 06:39, 28 February 2021 (UTC)

Annus Mirabilis papers says four. Clarityfiend (talk) 07:19, 28 February 2021 (UTC)

Adding Doctoral dissertation in 1905 – Annus Mirabilis papers section

Request to add Doctoral dissertation - "A new determination of molecular dimensions" as it was also completed in the year 1905 by Albert Einstein. Even in the biography written by Walter Isaacson, the title of the section is ′Doctoral Dissertation on the Size of Molecules, April 1905′, and there is a line which says - ′...he was working on, titled “A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions,” which he completed on April 30 and submitted to the University of Zurich in July...′, which is referenced from ′Completed Apr. 30, 1905, submitted to the University of Zurich on July 20, 1905, submitted to Annalen der Physik in revised form on Aug. 19, 1905, and published by Annalen der Physik Jan.1906. See Norton 2006c and www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/Goodies/Einstein_stat_1905/′. I think the Doctoral Dissertation should be mentioned in the Annus Mirabilis Wikipedia article as well as Albert Einstein's Wikipedia Article.

The same thing has been also been discussed in the Talk page of Annus Mirabilis Wikipedia Page. And it seems a consensus was also reached to add the doctoral dissertation in 1905 Papers. (Rakaar (talk) 06:51, 2 March 2021 (UTC))

A resource from the Princeton site - https://einsteinpapers.press.princeton.edu/vol2-doc/206 also suggests that the paper was completed on 30 April 1905 and submitted on 20 July (Rakaar (talk) 03:23, 18 March 2021 (UTC))

"universally acknowledged to be one of the two greatest physicists of all time, the other being Isaac Newton."

What is this nonsense statement? How can you assert anything to be "universally acknowledged"? And what is the basis that Newton and Einstein are the "two greatest"?

The statement should be changed to:

"widely recognized as one of the (greatest/most influential) physicists of all time."

VectorizeEverything (talk) 18:15, 8 March 2021 (UTC)

I agree. I made the change. Attic Salt (talk) 18:28, 8 March 2021 (UTC)

I wrote that. Universally, or maybe just planetarily:

• Einstein, then Newton, according to a poll by Physics World
• Einstein, followed by Newton, according to a poll of "100 of today's leading physicists" (BBC)

Show me anything that indicates otherwise. You won't find it. Who else is in the running? Maxwell is a distant third. Clarityfiend (talk) 18:44, 8 March 2021 (UTC)

It can't be objectively determined. But, perhaps you can see that the summary of who Einstein was is more effective without all those superlatives. Attic Salt (talk) 18:48, 8 March 2021 (UTC)

Perhaps then you'd also like to delete the rankings in Isaac Newton#Fame? As Jane Austen would say, "it is a truth universally acknowledged" by fellow physicists. Objectivity is irrelevant. There are lots of legitimate rankings in Wikipedia based on expert opinions. Clarityfiend (talk) 19:02, 8 March 2021 (UTC)

There are two people who have kicked over the physics apple cart. Others have replaced an axle, patched a sideboard, added a lamp, but only two have knocked it to pieces. They're on a different level.

At the very least, "widely" is a woeful understatement. Is there some corner of Lower Slobbovia where this is contested? Clarityfiend (talk) 09:01, 10 March 2021 (UTC)

There is absolutely no doubt that Einstein was an incredibly significant scientist, but it's simply nonsensical to claim anything to be "universally accepted".

Okay, maybe not universally. In the People's Paradise on Earth and Diet Clinic (Lose 25 kg in a year, or your money back!), there's another number one (or un). Clarityfiend (talk) 19:23, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

Additionally. what makes Newton comparable to Einstein? If anything, Einstein's accomplishments dwarf Newtons in both originality, complexity, and impact.

Regardless of who's the best or whatever, the point still stands that nothing can be "universally accepted" and thus the statement must be removed. VectorizeEverything (talk) 23:44, 10 March 2021 (UTC)

For what it's worth, and based on how they changed the world, I have Newton ahead of Einstein but, hey, who am I to say that because it is nothing but an unqualified personal opinion. To claim, without very strong evidence, "universally acknowleged to be the two greatest physicists" is certainly not encyclopedic language. Roger 8 Roger (talk) 03:28, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

Weren't these two guys in two different universes anyway? Martinevans123 (talk) 10:16, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

I agree that we should not use "universally accepted". There actually exist people out there who still think relativity is a fraud, and while they may well be considered cranks, they probably do not consider Einstein one of the two greatest—and if even one person disagrees and even for bad reasons, it is not "universally", as that would denote worldwide unanimity. I see no issue with "widely considered"; that's certainly well supported. Seraphimblade ^{Talk to me} 19:37, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

I guess that will have to do, seeing as this page is also part of the universe. Clarityfiend (talk) 20:39, 11 March 2021 (UTC)

Resolved

Semi-protected edit request on 28 April 2021

Albert Einstien was considered "The first human genius to ever exist" KateyRhoades (talk) 16:31, 28 April 2021 (UTC)

By whom? Martinevans123 (talk) 16:36, 28 April 2021 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 16:56, 28 April 2021 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 14 May 2021

Change:

Albert Einstein (/ˈaɪnstaɪn/ EYEN-styne;[4] German: [ˈalbɛʁt ˈʔaɪnʃtaɪn] (About this soundlisten); 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist,[5] widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest physicists of all time.

To:

Albert Einstein (/ˈaɪnstaɪn/ EYEN-styne;[4] German: [ˈalbɛʁt ˈʔaɪnʃtaɪn] (About this soundlisten); 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born, jewish theoretical physicist,[5] widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest physicists of all time. 46.117.17.151 (talk) 18:36, 14 May 2021 (UTC)

 Not done: Unnecessary Jew-tagging. ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 18:50, 14 May 2021 (UTC)

The link to the son Eduard is wrong, where it says: 'Their son Eduard was born in Zürich in July 1910' This is the correct link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein_family#Eduard_%22Tete%22_Einstein_(Albert's_second_son)