Special and General Theory of Relativity for physicists and philosophers

Exactly and generally understandable, on the basis of the technical literature, are discussed: The experimental proofs of relativity, the solutions of the paradoxes, the theses on the four-dimensional space-time continuum of special relativity, as well as the theses to the curved, expanding and closed space of general relativity. Included are the general relativistic variant to solve the twin paradox and the paradoxes of BELL, EHRENFEST and SAGNAC. All topics are treated separately for the Einstein and Lorentz interpretation. The so-called Lorentz interpretation was initiated by LORENTZ, POINCARÉ, BELL, SEXL and many others. It shows how well the idea of a three-dimensional space and a one-dimensional time harmonizes with EINSTEIN's principle of relativity and how paradoxes can be solved particularly easily on this basis. KIP S. THORNE (Nobel Prize 2017) refers to the Einstein and Lorentz interpretations as paradigms and considers it „extremely useful to have both paradigms at one’s fingertips.“ The two interpretations also differ physically: In NEWTON's theory there is a negative gravitational potential, because of E=mc2 this means negative mass. Negative masses do not exist. Neither NEWTON's theory nor the Einstein interpretation can explain, what the negative energy of particles resting in the field means. The LORENTZ interpretation gives a clear, experimentally verifiable answer. The mathematical derivations are deliberately simple to allow the reader to make his own, comprehensive judgment on the paradoxes and on both interpretations.