Common Sense Relativity and Spacetime

Based on simple, common-sense observations, the author introduces spacetime in an easily understandable way. Concepts in and around spacetime are explained first independently of any kind of ‘relativity connotation’, then in the nonrelativistic context and finally in the special relativistic context.

Reference frames, while traditionally foundational, make reasoning about spacetime unnecessarily particular. Thinking in terms of spacetime itself makes us much more confident and creative and this carries over to other branches of physics as spacetime is the stage where ‘physics happens’.  

The consistent mathematical formalism of the textbook is as simple as possible and close to the everyday practice of physicists. It helps readers realize that precise mathematical formulation avoids paradoxes and, in general, it is a valuable guide towards the better understanding of Nature.

Tamás Matolcsi completed his MSc in physics followed by his doctorate at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, Hungary in 1975. In his doctoral thesis “Some questions of the theory of de Rham currents and their application in Electromagnetism” he already started his work to make vague and ambiguous notions in the classical theory of Electromagnetism clear and precise using appropriate mathematical notions. Ever since, Dr. Matolcsi has been working on making physical theories consistent and mathematically clear; this produced numerous books and publications. 

Professor Matolcsi was responsible for teaching the mathematical tools required for physics students for 35 years at ELTE and is considered an excellent teacher by generations of Hungarian physicists.  Starting in 2015 together with his former students, he has been organizing summer schools for undergraduate/graduate physics students on various topics that use the spacetime setting, like relativity, classical and quantum mechanics, and classical electrodynamics with the latest in 2024. His current focus is on spacetime and thermodynamics.

In 1997, he was a visiting researcher in Venezuela and Brazil.

Dr. Matolcsi has received the Hungarian National Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1985 and a Natural Science Award from ELTE in 1987.