The Riddle of Gravity

I have not as yet been able to deduce from phenomena the reason
for these properties of gravity, and i do not feign hypothesis. For
whatever is not deduced from the phenomena must be called
hypothesis; and hypotheses, whether metaphysical or physical, or
based on occult qualities, or mechanical, have no place in
experimental philosophy.--Isaac Newton (from the Principia.)

Gravity
and Space

Although many great minds have pondered the
mystery of gravity, two names stand out as the most
enduring contributors in solving this puzzle:
Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727)

According to Isaac Newton, material
objects basically pull on each other,
with a force that increases with the
mass of those objects; and decreases
with the distance between them. His
solution was elegant and accurate.
Though, Newton, himself, was not
satisfied because he saw no way for
this force to be conveyed through
empty space.

In sharp contrast to Newton's theory, Einstein
proposed that the structure (or geometry) of
space was responsable for gravity, In fact, he
saw no need for material objects at all; as he
states here:

Newtons theory:Fg=Gm1.m2/d^2

From Einstein/Infeld; The Evolution of Physics; pg. 243.

"We could regard matter as the regions in
space where the field is extremely strong....
There would be no place, in our new physics,
for both field and matter, field being the only
reality."--Albert Einstein

The Riddle of Gravity persists, even in the light of these
two powerful perspectives of Newton and Einstein. You will
note that these two perspectives are nearly-perfect positive-
negative images of each other. Each seems to be in direct
contradiction with the other; yet amazingly they yield the
same result--with a discrepancy so small it is barely worth
mentioning. Is it possible that two such opposite theories
are both correct?

We will attempt, here, to answer that question with a definite
"Yes". Both Newton and Einstein are right.

Newton's Law of Gravitation
is embedded in Einstein's
Field Equation...and I can
prove it. Just click me.

Link to Newton's Reservations.

Gravity is but a
puzzle...something
to be solved.

For the purpose of this web site,any explanation
of gravity that credits space--exclusively, will
be called "Einstein's gravity."*

Click this graphic for a great explanation of
Einstein's gravity.

______

*I must admit that I do not fully understand General Relativity (Einstein's
theory of Gravity), particularly the cumbersome math that goes with it.
(And, this math is truly cumbersome--by any standard.) However there are
many conceptual interpretations of this theory available to anyone. One
excellent interpretation is provided through the link on this page. You might
find that my explanation for gravity is far simpler than General Relativity; ie.
my ideas do not address space-time curvature and so on. Whether or not
my ideas are accurate, in terms of Einstein's theory, remains to be seen. In
the meantime, I have taken the liberty to refer to any explanation of gravity
that relies on space alone, as "Einstein's gravity". Please forgive me if I
have caused any confusion; or if I am completely wrong.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)