The Fourth Dimension Simply Explained


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(4.5 stars; 14 reviews)

In January 1909 a friend of the Scientific American paid the sum of 500$ which was to be awarded as a prize for the best popular explanation of the Fourth Dimension. The object being to set forth in an essay not longer than 2500 words the meaning of the term so that the lay reader could understand it. 245 essays were submitted, the 500$ prize was awarded to Lieut.-Col. Graham Denby Fitch, Corps of Engineers, USA, and the essay was published in the Scientific American of July 3rd 1909.


Despite the character of the subject, extraordinary interest was manifested in the contest. Competitive essays were received from almost every civilized country. Because of this unexpected interest in the subject, it has seemed advisable to preserve a few of the essays which were submitted. Prof. Henry P. Manning (Brown Univ.) has chosen essays which lend themselves best for the purpose of a popular book on the Fourth Dimension, in other words, those which present the subject from as many different points of view as possible.


This book contains 22 of the submitted essays, starting with the prizewinning one, followed by three that received an honorable mention. (Summary adapted from the preface by Availle). (8 hr 6 min)

Chapters

Preface 3:11 Read by Availle
Introduction, Part 1 36:57 Read by Availle
Introduction, Part 2 39:47 Read by Availle
An Elucidation of the Fourth Dimension 20:38 Read by Availle
Non-Eucledian Geometry and the Fourth Dimension 16:12 Read by Availle
Fourth Dimension Absurdities 23:21 Read by Availle
The Boundary of the Four-Dimensional Unit And Other Features of Four-Dimensiona… 20:44 Read by Availle
How the Fourth Dimension May Be Studied 17:40 Read by Availle
Space and Hyperspace 18:00 Read by Availle
An Interpretation of the Fourth Dimension 20:00 Read by Availle
Length, Breadth, Thickness, And Then What? 16:27 Read by Availle
The Fourth Dimension Algebraically Considered 14:08 Read by Availle
Difficulties In Imagining the Fourth Dimension 17:04 Read by Availle
Some Fourth Dimension Curiosities 18:59 Read by Availle
Characteristics of the Fourth Dimension 18:29 Read by Availle
The Fourth Dimension, the Playground of Mathematics 17:39 Read by Availle
The True and the False in the Theory of Four Dimensions 18:33 Read by Availle
The Ascending Series of Dimensions 18:34 Read by Availle
The Mind's Eye and the Fourth Dimension 18:09 Read by Availle
Other Dimensions Than Ours 15:46 Read by Availle
The Meaning of the Term 'Fourth Dimension' 18:42 Read by Availle
A Pupil in Geometry Quizzes His Teacher About the Fourth Dimension 15:00 Read by Availle
Possible Measurements And Forms In A System of Four Dimensions 20:31 Read by Availle
The Fairyland of the Fourth Dimension 18:54 Read by Availle
The Properties of Four-Dimensional Space 22:41 Read by Availle