O ct 2 00 4 Doing without the Equivalence Principle ∗

In Einstein's general relativity, geometry replaces the concept of force in the description of the gravitation interaction. Such an approach rests on the universality of free-fall—the weak equivalence principle—and would break down without it. On the other hand, the teleparallel version of general relativity, a gauge theory for the translation group, describes the gravitational interaction by a force similar to the Lorentz force of electromagnetism, a non-universal interaction. It is shown that, similarly to the Maxwell's description of elec-tromagnetism, the teleparallel gauge approach provides a consistent theory for gravitation even in the absence of the weak equivalence principle.