| Reference number | RR/16/399 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Referee's report by George Ballard Mathews, on a paper 'Mathematical concepts of the material world' by Alfred North Whitehead |
| Date | October 1905 |
| Description | Sectional Committee: Mathematics
Recommended for publication in Philosophical Transactions as it stands, unless the author wishes to make any amendements. The paper presents various features of novelty and interest, the principle ones perhaps being assuming only one kind of objective entity, analogous to a straight line, and the theory of dimensions given in the paper, which is very ingenious. Mathews has only read a part of the symbolical propositions in the paper and cannot criticise them in detail. Whether or not Whitehead's system will lead to a reconstruction of dynamics, it is premature to say, Whitehead makes some very interesting suggestions regarding mass. Summarises Whitehead's theory, if he understands it correctly, which involves the possibility of both negative and positive atoms of electricity at one point, and corresponding 'quantities' or 'molecules' of each kind of electricity distributed throughout any finite volume.
[Published in Philosophical Transactions A, 1906].
Endorsed on verso as received 5 October 1905. |
| Extent | 2p |
| Format | Manuscript |
| Physical description | Standardised form (type A) |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| Access status | Open |
| Related material | DOI: 10.1098/rsta.1906.0014 |
| Related records in the catalogue | RR/16/400 |
| RR/16/401 |
| RR/16/402 |
| RR/16/403 |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | Name | Dates |
| NA170 | Mathews; George Ballard (1861 - 1922) | 1861 - 1922 |
| NA6260 | Whitehead; Alfred North (1861 - 1947) | 1861 - 1947 |