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Contrary to Einstein, the Human Observer and Knowledge are Critical to the Relativity of Simultaneity in Special Relativity: Rock, the Psychologist's Importance, and the Logical Nature of c +v and c -v

ORAL

Abstract

Rock showed a moving human observer (ho) can experience himself at rest but does not experience himself at rest if he knows that he is moving. For Einstein (1905), the ho must experience himself at rest in order to establish simultaneity in an inertial reference frame (irf). The clocks and rod the ho uses to establish simultaneity depend on the ho’s being at rest. Yet Einstein maintains the “moving” ho uses the clocks and rod of the “stationary” irf in which simultaneity is established to measure the velocity of light (i.e., c+v and c-v) while assuming the “moving” ho is at rest in an irf where simultaneity can be established (using the velocity of light c). Einstein’s argument fails because the “moving” ho is not in an irf where he can establish simultaneity since the “moving” ho knows he is moving and experiences himself moving. Instead, the relativity of simultaneity (ros) is shown when the ho at rest in the stationary irf uses the time and space in his reference frame that depend on the simultaneity established in his frame to logically DEDUCE RELATIVE to the ho in the moving frame that the light ray used by the ho at rest in the moving reference frame to attempt to establish simultaneity in the moving reference frame should be characterized by c+v and c-v. c+v and c-v are central to the Lorentz transformation equations since [c2/(c+v)(c-v)] 1/2=[1/(1-v2/c2)1/2. Ros is based on knowledge.

Presenters

  • Douglas M Snyder

    None

Authors

  • Douglas M Snyder

    None