100 Years of Relativity Space-Time Structure: Einstein and Beyond ...

Prefacexi— viewpoints to these fundamental questions and therefore the resultingtheories have strikingly different features. This variety is essential at thepresent stage because we are still rather far from a fully satisfactory quantumgravity theory. Furthermore, as yet there is no hard experimental datato guide us. Therefore, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Einstein’sAnnus Mirabilis it is important that we maintain a long range perspective.Indeed, we would do well to avoid the traps that the celebrated biologistFrançois Jacob warned all scientists about:The danger for scientists is not to measure the limits of their science,and thus their knowledge. This leads to mix what they believeand what they know. Above all, it creates the certitude of beingright [prematurely].The third part of this endeavors to maintain the necessary openness.Abhay AshtekarSeptember, 2005