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    The Logic of Simultaneity: Relativity without Inertial Frames
    The Logic of Simultaneity: Relativity without Inertial Frames
    The Logic of Simultaneity: Relativity without Inertial Frames
    Ebook102 pages1 hour

    The Logic of Simultaneity: Relativity without Inertial Frames

    By Priidu Tänava

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    About this ebook

    This book is an account of my first encounter with Einstein's Special Relativity. It is inevitable that in trying to unravel the theory's logical inconsistencies I did not at first attempt succeed in correcting it. The logic does not stand the test of a detailed follow through. Our fundamental understanding of relativity in the universe is thus still waiting to be put right. Patience. (Feb. 2019)

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPriidu Tänava
    Release dateMay 31, 2016
    ISBN9789949389483
    The Logic of Simultaneity: Relativity without Inertial Frames

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      Book preview

      The Logic of Simultaneity - Priidu Tänava

      Preface

      Our description of three-dimensional space does not include time. When we do include time, space can no longer be unambiguously described. This gives us both relativity and quantum physics. Next to spatial ambiguity, time and simultaneity are unambiguous and let us seek consistency in detail.

      In this essay I present a theory of relativity that is based on the constancy of the speed of light, but does not use inertial frames of reference and allows precise geometrical description. The geometries are observer independent and lead to a stable cosmological model of space and time. Cosmological stability is inevitable from the perspective of information processing, which is the broad context of my reasoning.

      Due to the predominance of logical reasoning, and the author’s inexperience, the narrative can be hard to follow. I hope those persisting will see some aesthetic beauty in the design. This is my universe. Welcome.

      Priidu Tänava

      1 Introduction

      1.1 Special Relativity

      And I say it’s not possible.

      12 Angry Men (1957 film)

      Galilean Relativity gives us the concept of the inertial frame of reference and the first inertial frame is the enclosed ship cabin. Important in Galilean Relativity is that the inertial frames contain each other, forming a hierarchy. This gives a clear meaning to the word stationary. Smaller inertial frames can be stationary or moving in the containing context of a larger frame. The broad meaning of relativity is that for the purposes of physical experiments the contexts are equal. The movement of one frame inside another gives the moving frame no special physical properties. In Galilean Relativity the difference between stationary and moving is created by a visual reference, or by means of a medium, like air or water. This works within the context of the Earth but fails when we want to determine the movement of the Earth itself. The universe as a global context gives us neither a stationary visual reference nor a medium. The inertial linear movement in it appears to be entirely relative and no difference between stationary and moving can be made.

      Special Relativity recognizes the inherent equality between inertial frames in the laws of physics. At the same time it builds on the difference between stationary and moving that is created through the hierarchical containment of the frames. It declares that no single top level universal context exists. Instead, all inertial frames contain each other in a relativistic way. The new meaning of relativity is that every inertial frame can equally assume the role of the globally stationary context in which other frames are seen as moving. In the process the moving frame’s coordinate system is adjusted to allow for the constant speed of light, and the difference between stationary and moving becomes a difference between undistorted and distorted.

      In Galilean Relativity the inertial frames of reference are artificial constructs. It is a convenience for us to see ourselves as stationary or moving on the surface of the Earth. The meaning of relativity is that the difference has no physical reality. We may therefore be justified in asking why build on the concept of the inertial frames of reference in an attempt to explain relativity in the universe? The problem is that there is always a fundamental inequality between stationary and moving. In Galilean Relativity it is the hierarchical containment, in Special Relativity it is the distortedness of the coordinate systems. Whichever way we reason, the word stationary implies a privilege and the difference between the states of stationary and moving is not relative. By holding on to the difference, Special Relativity appears to be declaring the inertial frames to be equal in their right to be unequal. In the mix there is no place for a single common context for all observers, as such a context would be preferential amongst peers. Yet there appears to be no gain either. On the contrary, the originally artificial inequality between two chosen inertial frames has now acquired a physical meaning, and the relativity underlying the Galilean inertial frames has been lost.

      Both the underlying absoluteness and the lack of a meaningful global context, consequences of using inertial frames without a valid containing context, are the source of Special Relativity’s logical difficulties. At the same time, to enable constant speed of light for all observers in the universe, there inevitably have to be coordinate adjustments of some kind. These adjustments can only be relativistic and fit into a common context if they are sensitive to the direction of movement. An example of this is the wavelength shift of light. In Special Relativity they are not. The coordinate distortions there differentiate between stationary and moving, not on the direction of movement. If the universe has a common coordinate system of some kind, the Special Relativity’s description of movement in it can only be absolute.

      The next question we ask, not having a meaningful global context, is what the basis for a common physical reality between the frames is. The meaning of relativity includes the requirement that any distortions created by movement must be consistent amongst observers. A theory explaining relativity should be able to demonstrate this consistency.

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