Examples of the Zeroth Theorem of the History of Science

J. D. Jackson
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Abstract:

The zeroth theorem of the history of science, enunciated by E. P. Fischer, states that a discovery (rule,regularity, insight) named after someone (often) did not originate with that person. I present five examples from physics: the Lorentz condition, partial_{mu}A^{mu} = 0, of the electromagnetic potentials; the Dirac delta function delta (x); the Schumann resonances of the earth-ionosphere cavity; the Weizsacker-Williams method of virtual quanta; the BMT equation of spin dynamics. I give illustrated thumbnail sketches of both the true and reputed discoverers and quote excerpts from their "discovery" publications.