from:
http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00004778/01/Einstein_Chicago_Web2.pdf
"There is an evident contradiction between Einsteins description in Chicago of the role played by the Michelson-Morley experiment and his own words of some decades later. How is this contradiction to be understood? Did Einstein let down his guard in Chicago and allow a historical inaccuracy to slip inperhaps to please Michelsons home crowd?"
i.e Einstein gave two versions of history as to whether the Michelson-Morley experiment (MMX) influenced the forming of his 1905 SR theory.
In Chacago he said it had, and later he said it hadn't.
this leads to the "contradiction" as noted. Einstein says one thing and later says the opposite.
In Chicago, it was as noted "Michelson's home crowd", so to say MMX had influenced his 1905 SR theory would have certainly pleased them; and it is noted his lecture there was a success.
Einstein appears therefore to be a crowd-pleaser, he says whatever is likely to please the crowd; and if he says one thing to one crowd and the opposite to another crowd; then it did not worry him so long as he pleased both crowds.
That's why we have Einstein's relativity just full of contradictions, he pleased the crowds, but it is no way to build a scientific theory on contradictions.
Yet because Einstein pleased the relevant crowds, the contradictory theory was bought as foundation for modern physics.
Einstein - just a salesman for shoddy goods, in his case a shoddy theory.
Roger
c.2009-08-04