Mach - Ernst Mach

Austrian physicist. Born in Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic). Known for his work in the fields of science history and theory. Raised by a knowledgeable father and an artistically inclined mother, he was familiar with classical languages, history, mathematics, music, poetry, as well as handicrafts and agriculture. In secondary school, he was interested in natural history and geography, and was exposed to Lamarck's theory of evolution. After entering the University of Vienna, he majored in mathematics, physics, and philosophy, and obtained his doctorate with a thesis on discharges and electromagnetic induction. He then became a private lecturer at the same university, where he tackled problems with the Doppler effect in the laboratory and focused on the application of molecular theories in his lectures and textbooks. However, he gradually turned to psychology and physiology research, and moved to a position that rejected the concepts of molecules and atoms.

He became professor at the University of Graz in 1864, and at the University of Prague in 1867, and achieved great success in experimental research into vision, interference and diffraction of light, and fluids (particularly those related to high-speed air currents and the motion of flying objects). The ratio of the speed of a flying object to the speed of sound propagation through a gas is called the Mach number, named after his contributions during this period. Meanwhile, in the field of psychology, he conducted extensive research into the sense of sound, the sense of time, and the sense of motion.

During his two years as rector at the University of Prague, he published a succession of books. These included the famous "The Development of Mechanics from a Historical and Critical Viewpoint" (first published in 1883, 9th edition; translated into Japanese as "Mach Dynamics") and "The Analysis of Sensations: The Correlation of the Physical and the Psychological" (first published in 1886, 7th edition). In 1895, he returned to his alma mater, the University of Vienna, to lecture on the history and theory of inductive science, but suffered a stroke and resigned from his teaching position in 1901. After briefly becoming involved in politics, he retired to the outskirts of Munich, where he died. His main works during this time included "Principles of Thermodynamics" (first published in 1896, 4th edition), "Knowledge and Error: An Essay on the Psychology of Research" (first published in 1905, 5th edition; translated into Japanese as "Time and Space"), and his posthumous work "Principles of Physical Optics" (1921).

Mach's research on the history and theory of science was useful for analyzing the structure, development process, and basic concepts of science (space-time, mass, heat, energy, etc.). He sharply pointed out the drawbacks of easily introducing metaphysical elements and concepts such as absoluteness and causality into science, and he asserted the mission of science to describe the interrelationships between the various sensory elements given to us with the least amount of effort and in the simplest possible form (theory of economy of thought).

[Seiji Takada]

"Mach Dynamics, translated by Yuzuru Fushimi (1969, Kodansha)" ▽ "Analysis of Sensation, translated by Wataru Hiromatsu et al. (1971, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Time and Space, translated by Keiichi Noya (1977, Hosei University Press)" ▽ "Mach and Principles of Thermodynamics, translated by Seiji Takada (1978, Tokai University Press)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

オーストリアの物理学者。モラビア地方（現、チェコ領）出身。科学史や科学論の分野での業績でも知られている。見識ある父と芸術志向の母のもとで教育され、古典語、歴史、数学、音楽、詩をはじめ工芸や農事にも親しんだ。中級学校では博物や地理に関心を寄せ、ラマルクの進化論に接した。ウィーン大学に進んでからは数学、物理、哲学を専攻し、放電と電磁誘導を考察した論文で学位を得た。続いて同大学の私講師となり、実験室ではドップラー効果の問題と取り組み、講義や教科書では分子説の適用に心を傾けた。しかし、しだいに心理や生理の研究に転向し、分子・原子の概念を否定する立場に移っていく。

　1864年グラーツ大学教授、1867年プラハ大学教授と歴任し、視覚、光の干渉や回折、流体（とくに、高速の気流や飛行体運動に関するもの）などの実験研究に業績をあげた。気体中の音の伝播(でんぱ)速度に対する飛行体の速度の比の値は、この時期の彼の貢献にちなんで、マッハ数とよばれる。一方、心理については、音感、時間感覚、運動感覚などの広範な研究を進めた。

　プラハ大学では、2年にわたる学長就任期を含め、次々と著書を発表した。そのなかに、有名な『歴史的・批判的に見た力学の展開』（初版1883年、以下9版。邦訳名『マッハ力学』）、『感覚の分析――物理的なものと心理的なものとの相関』（初版1886年、以下7版）が含まれる。1895年、母校ウィーン大学に戻って帰納科学の歴史と理論を講じたが、卒中にかかり1901年に教職を辞し、しばし政治に関与したのち、ミュンヘン郊外に引退、同地で没した。この間の主著として、『熱学の諸原理』（初版1896年、以下4版）、『認識と誤謬(ごびゅう)――研究心理試論』（初版1905年、以下5版。邦訳名『時間と空間』）があり、また遺著として『物理光学の諸原理』（1921）がある。

　科学史、科学論の面でのマッハの論究は、科学の構造、発展過程および基礎概念（時空、質量、熱量、エネルギーなど）の分析に資するところがあり、科学のなかに形而上(けいじじょう)学要素や絶対性、因果性などの概念を安易に導入することの弊を鋭く指摘し、われわれに与えられる感性的諸要素の間の相互関係を、最小の労力で、かつできるだけ簡単な形で記述するのが科学の使命であるとの説（思考経済の説）を主張した。

［高田誠二］

『伏見譲訳『マッハ力学』（1969・講談社）』▽『廣松渉他訳『感覚の分析』（1971・法政大学出版局）』▽『野家啓一訳『時間と空間』（1977・法政大学出版局）』▽『高田誠二訳『マッハ・熱学の諸原理』（1978・東海大学出版会）』

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