Quote by Felix Alba-Juez
So strong was the preconception of absolute space and time in the scientific mentality of those days, that Lorentz did not realize the grand transcendence of what he had discovered, and contented himself with remodeling the edifice of Physics -- instead of rebuilding it with a new foundation.
Summary
This quote suggests that during the time this quote refers to, there was a strong belief in the scientific community regarding the existence of absolute space and time. The person being referred to, Lorentz, made a significant discovery that challenged this belief. However, due to the prevailing preconception, Lorentz did not fully appreciate the revolutionary nature of his findings. Instead, he only made adjustments to the existing framework of Physics, rather than endorsing a complete paradigm shift with a new foundation.