Ernst Mach

Ernst Mach: His Work, Life, and Influence aims to bring attention to the important yet often overlooked figure of Ernst Mach, a physicist, philosopher, and psychologist whose contributions span multiple disciplines. The book seeks to provide new biographical information to help the educated public better understand Mach, emphasizing his significant influence on modern physics and philosophy of science. Not merely a physicist, Mach's work also impacted psychology and physiology, and his philosophical ideas, particularly his attempt to base modern physics on a presentationalist epistemology, remain a subject of both admiration and controversy. The book highlights how Mach's ideas, though often opposed by later scientists, laid the groundwork for key developments in science and philosophy, making him a figure deserving of recognition alongside figures like Max Planck and Albert Einstein.

The book also addresses the reasons why Mach’s legacy has remained somewhat obscure, despite his profound impact. A combination of Mach’s own reluctance for a biography and the philosophical battles surrounding his views, especially his critique of Newtonian physics, has led to his ideas being misunderstood or neglected. His intellectual life was marked by intense controversies with figures like Max Planck, Ludwig Boltzmann, and even Albert Einstein, which contributed to his personal and professional struggles. Despite his later life being marked by personal tragedy and physical decline, Mach continued to defend his ideas with remarkable tenacity. His scientific contributions, such as his work on shock waves, are still widely acknowledged today, with terms like Mach number becoming part of the scientific lexicon. However, the book argues that it is time for Mach’s full philosophical and scientific influence to be more widely recognized and understood, shedding light on his controversial yet crucial role in shaping 20th-century thought.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1972.