2 7 4 D O C . 1 7 0 O N O V E R D E T E R M I N A T I O N Published in Preußische Akademie der Wissenschaften (Berlin). Physikalisch-mathematische Klasse. Sitzungsberichte (1923): 359–364. It was presented to the PAW by Max Planck, and published 15 Jan- uary 1924. A manuscript is also available ([1 035]). It was sent to Max Planck from Leyden with the request to present it (see Doc. 171). [1]The manuscript contains the abstract published to announce the paper in the Sitzungsberichte. It reads: “Die Ansicht wird vertreten, dass den Thatsachen der Quanten-Erscheinungen möglicherweise durch eine Theorie entsprochen werden könnte, die auf partielle Differentialgleichungen gegründet ist. Der Grundthatsache, dass die Anfangsbedingungen gemäss der Quantentheorie nicht beliebig wählbar sind, wird durch „Überbestimmung“ Rechnung getragen d.h. die Variabeln werden mehr Gleichungen unterworfen als für die blosse Bestimmung der zeitlichen Fortsetzung nötig wäre. Mit- telst der Methoden der allgemeinen Relativitätstheorie wird ein Gleichungssystem dieser Art abgelei- tet, die Entscheidung über seine Brauchbarkeit aber einstweilen offen gelassen.” [2]After “über die,” the manuscript continues “spezifische Wärme, bezw.” [3]For earlier discussions by Einstein of the law of causality, see Einstein 1916e (Vol. 6, Doc. 30) and Einstein to Moritz Schlick, 7 and 30 June 1920 (Vol. 10, Docs. 47 and 67). In the first letter to Schlick, Einstein argues against a definition of causality similar to the one introduced here, primarily because it introduces a split of space-time into space and time. In a letter to Rudolf Förster of 19 Feb- ruary 1918 (Vol. 8, Doc. 467), Einstein had called the demand for an initial-value formulation of gen- eral relativity “justified” (“berechtigt”), without linking it explicitly to causality. Defining causality through an initial-value formulation of general relativity had been pioneered by David Hilbert (see Hilbert 1917, pp. 59–63). For the early history of the initial-value problem in general relativity, see Stachel 1992 for the development of Hilbert’s thoughts on causality, see Hilbert to Einstein, 13 November 1915 (Vol. 8, Doc. 140), note 5 for an analysis of Einstein’s concept of causality, see Ben-Menahem 1993. [4]For a survey of Einstein’s own doubts about the scope of validity of partial differential equations over time, see Stachel 1993. [5]Such doubts, i.e., “that one must abandon the continuum in order to solve the problem of quanta” (“dass man die Quanten lösen müsse durch Aufgeben des Kontinuums”), had, e.g., been expressed by Max Born (see Einstein to Max Born, 27 January 1920 [Vol. 9, Doc. 284]). The idea of giving up the continuity of space in view of the quantum conditions in the atomic realm was also the topic of dis- cussion between Einstein and Hans Joachim in late 1923 (see Abs. 175). Apparently, sometime in October 1923, Joachim had visited Einstein and discussed a manuscript of his to this effect entitled “Atomic Hypothesis and Geometry” (“Atomhypothese und Geometrie”). During that conversation, Einstein had formulated “some objections […] against the giving up of continuum considerations” (“einige Einwände […] gegen die Ausschaltung von Kontinuumsbetrachtungen” Hans Joachim to Einstein, 1 December 1923, Abs. 220). [6]Mie 1912a, 1912b, 1913. For a discussion of Mie’s theory, see Pauli 1921, sec. 64. For a similar assessment of Mie’s program, see Einstein 1919a (Vol. 7, Doc. 17), p. 349. [7]The idea that not only the temporal development of a system, but also its initial conditions might be constrained by laws of nature was already mentioned by Einstein in a letter to Moritz Schlick of 7 June 1920 (Vol. 10, Doc. 47). [8]Einstein had entertained the idea of overdetermination already in early 1920. In a letter to Hed- wig and Max Born, he wrote “I still believe as before that an overdetermination ought to be sought with differential equations for which the solutions no longer have any continuum properties. But how?” (“Ich glaube nach wie vor, man muss eine solche Überbestimmung durch Differentialgleichun- gen suchen, dass die Lösungen nicht mehr Kontinuumscharakter haben. Aber wie?” Einstein to Hed- wig and Max Born, 27 January 1920 [Vol. 9, Doc. 284]). At the time, Einstein seemed to have pondered that idea for a while (see Einstein to Paul Ehrenfest, 2 February 1920 [Vol. 9, Doc. 294]) but ran into insurmountable difficulties: “I continually brood over the quantum problem from the rel- ativistic point of view. I don’t believe that the theory can dispense with the continuum. But my
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