Understanding Einstein: Special Relativity

In this course, we will attempt to "understand Einstein," with a particular focus on the special theory of relativity that Albert Einstein, as a twenty-six-year-old patent clerk, introduced in his "miracle year" of 1905. Our goal will be to penetrate beyond the myths and popularized representations of relativity to gain a deeper understanding of both Einstein and the concepts, predictions, and strange paradoxes of his theory. Some of the questions we will consider include: How did Einstein arrive at his ideas? What was the nature of his genius? What is the meaning of relativity? What is "special" about special relativity? Why did it initially seem like the theory was dead on arrival? What does it mean that time is a "fourth dimension"? Can time really flow more slowly for one person than for another, or can the sizes of objects change depending on their speed? Is time travel possible, and if so, how? Why can't things travel faster than the speed of light? Is it possible to travel to the center of the galaxy and back in one lifetime? Is there any evidence to definitively support the theory, or is it mostly speculation? Why didn't Einstein win a Nobel Prize for his theory of relativity? About the Instructor: Dr. Larry Lagerstrom is the Director of Academic Programs at Stanford University's Center for Professional Development, which offers graduate certificates in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data mining, nanotechnology, innovation, and management science. He holds degrees in physics, mathematics, and the history of science, has published a book and TED Ed video on "Young Einstein: From the Doxerl Affair to the Miracle Year," and has had over 30,000 students worldwide enroll in his online course on special relativity (this course!).