Einstein's Writings and the "Kyoto Address" in Original Edition : Along with the Critical Comment on Itagaki's "Einstein and the Michelson experiment"

Abstract

There are two versions of the Japanese text of Einstein's "Kyoto Address." One is the original text by Jun Ishiwara, the physicist-colleague and translator of Einstein's, and the other is its revised version by one of Ishiwara's sons. It is pointed out that the existing English versions of the "Kyoto Address" are made by the translation from the revised version, which is somewhat different from the original. The other point made is related with the argument by Ryoichi Itagaki that the description in Kyoto Address on Einstein's knowledge of Michelson's experiment should be regarded as written in the subjunctive mood and does not correspond to the reality. But, this interpretation is against Ishiwara's own text and also to Einstein's own love letter to Maric in 1899.