Einstein's formulation of special relativity was in terms of kinematics (the study of moving bodies without reference to forces). Late in 1907, his former mathematics professor, Hermann Minkowski, presented an alternative, geometric interpretation of special relativity in a lecture to the Göttingen Mathematical society, introducing the concept of spacetime. Einstein was initially dismissive of Minkowski's geometric interpretation, regarding it as überflüssige Gelehrsamkeit (superfluous learnedness).