Does special relativity theory tell us anything new about space and time?
Szabó, László E. (2003) Does special relativity theory tell us anything new about space and time?.
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Abstract
It will be shown that, in comparison with the pre-relativistic Galileo-invariant conceptions, special relativity tells us nothing new about the geometry of spacetime. It simply calls something else "spacetime", and this something else has different properties. All statements of special relativity about those features of reality that correspond to the original meaning of the terms "space" and "time" are identical with the corresponding traditional pre-relativistic statements. It will be also argued that special relativity and Lorentz theory are completely identical in both senses, as theories about spacetime and as theories about the behavior of moving physical objects.
| Keywords: | special relativity, space-time, operationalism |
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| Subjects: | General Issues: Theory Change General Issues: Theory/Observation Specific Sciences: Physics: Relativity Theory General Issues: History of Science Case Studies General Issues: Operationalism/Instrumentalism General Issues: Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism |
| ID Code: | 1321 |
| Deposited By: | E. Szabo, Laszlo |
| Deposited On: | 12 August 2003 |
| Additional Information: | New version uploaded August 2005. |
| Alternative Locations: | http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/physics/0308035 |