The acceptance of Einstein's theory of space-time physics, known as the theory of general relativity, over Newtonian physics was not solely based on the fact that it could reproduce Newtonian physics in certain limits. There were several key factors that led to the acceptance of Einstein's theory:
Empirical evidence: Einstein's theory of general relativity made specific predictions that differed from those of Newtonian physics. One of the most famous examples is the bending of light around massive objects, such as stars. This prediction was confirmed during the 1919 solar eclipse expedition led by Sir Arthur Eddington, where the deflection of starlight by the Sun was observed. The empirical evidence strongly supported Einstein's theory and provided a compelling reason to consider it as a more accurate description of reality.
Explaining anomalies: Newtonian physics had already been highly successful in explaining a wide range of physical phenomena. However, there were certain anomalies that Newtonian physics could not account for, such as the anomalous precession of the orbit of Mercury and the inability to explain the nature of gravity itself. Einstein's theory of general relativity successfully addressed these anomalies and provided a more comprehensive and consistent framework.
Conceptual coherence: Einstein's theory of general relativity introduced a fundamentally different understanding of space, time, and gravity compared to Newtonian physics. It described gravity as the curvature of space-time caused by mass and energy, rather than a force acting at a distance as in Newtonian physics. This conceptual shift resolved long-standing conceptual issues and inconsistencies in Newtonian physics.
Experimental verification: Over the years, numerous experiments and observations have further confirmed the predictions of general relativity. These include the precise measurements of the precession of Mercury's orbit, the deflection of starlight by the Sun, the gravitational time dilation observed in experiments, and the detection of gravitational waves.
While it is true that Newtonian physics can be seen as a special case of general relativity in certain limits, it does not mean that general relativity is reducible to Newtonian physics. General relativity provides a more accurate and comprehensive description of the gravitational interaction, particularly in extreme conditions involving strong gravitational fields, high velocities, or cosmological scales. Therefore, the acceptance of Einstein's theory by the scientific community was based on a combination of empirical evidence, explanatory power, conceptual coherence, and experimental verification, rather than just the ability to reproduce Newtonian physics in certain cases.