Physical Significance of Maxwell's Theory

Abstract

IN a lecture delivered by Mario Bunge on June 21, 1943, before the Faculty of Industrial and Agricultural Chemistry of the National University of Literal, under the title "Significado Fisico e Historico De La Teoria. De Maxwell", the work of Maxwell is considered, and its influence in his own day and also on posterity is dealt with (Buenos Aires: Universidad Obrera Argentina. Pp. 16). Among the important effects of Maxwell's theory may be noted the downfall of mechanism for the second time in history. The first non-mechanical theory was the undulatory theory of light under Huygens, Fresnel, MacCullagh, Green, Cauchy, etc., and now for the second time physics seemed to be released from the thraldom of mechanism.