Theory of action at a distance

...This type of action is called action at a distance. Attempts to treat electromagnetic phenomena such as not only the Coulomb force but also the force or interaction between magnetic poles, the interaction between electric currents and magnetic poles, and the interaction between electric currents themselves as such action at a distance (action at a distance theory) were popular in continental Europe in the first half of the 19th century, and were successful to a certain extent in electromagnetic phenomena. Examples include the Biot-Savart law, which gives the force between electric current elements and magnetic poles, and the formula derived by AM Ampere that gives the force between electric current elements. ...

*Some of the terminology that refers to the "theory of action at a distance" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…このような作用を遠隔作用という。電磁気現象においてクーロン力だけでなく，磁極間の力または相互作用，電流と磁極の相互作用，電流間の相互作用などもこのような遠隔作用だとして取り扱う試み(遠隔作用論)は19世紀前半のヨーロッパ大陸で盛んで，ある範囲までの電磁気現象については成功を収めた。電流要素と磁極の間の力を与えるビオ=サバールの法則，A.M.アンペールによって導かれた電流要素どうしの間の力を与える数式などはその例である。…

※「遠隔作用論」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報