Mach’s Principle and Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation

Abstract

The increased interest of physicists in Einstein's theory of gravitation over the past years has been accompanied by a number of discussions of Mach's suggestion concerning a relation between inertial forces and distant stars. There has been, however, no accord on the mathematical formulation of Mach's ideas and on their meaning in General Relativity. My purpose is to review, in the framework of the present-day understanding of Einstein's theory, the changes in interpretation which Mach's ideas have experienced and to sort out different statements collectively labeled as Mach's principle.