Preludes to a relativistic theory of gravitation

In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act ~ George Orwell

The special theory of relativity had its origin in the development of electrodynamics. The mechanical theory of gravitation and the field theory of electrodynamics were based on the same concepts of space and time. The two theories were also fundamentally different and thus did not contradict each other.

Sadly, they were no longer compatible when Maxwell’s theory eliminated action at a distance from the realms of electrodynamics, and the Lorentz transformations ruled out action at a distance from the whole of physics, by depriving time and space of their absolute character.

Newton’s theory of gravitation is co-variant with respect to Galilean transformations, but not with respect to Lorentz transformations.