SIDELIGHTS ON RELATIVITY

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of matter are also, in their essence, nothing else than condensations
of the electromagnetic field, our present view of the universe
presents two realities which are completely separated from each other
conceptually, although connected causally, namely, gravitational ether
and electromagnetic field, or--as they might also be called--space
and matter.

Of course it would be a great advance if we could succeed in
comprehending the gravitational field and the electromagnetic field
together as one unified conformation. Then for the first time the
epoch of theoretical physics founded by Faraday and Maxwell would
reach a satisfactory conclusion. The contrast between ether and
matter would fade away, and, through the general theory of relativity,
the whole of physics would become a complete system of thought,
like geometry, kinematics, and the theory of gravitation.  An
exceedingly ingenious attempt in this direction has been made by
the mathematician H. Weyl; but I do not believe that his theory will