PhilSci Archive

Is the relativity principle consistent with electrodynamics? Towards a logico-empiricist reconstruction of a physical theory

Gomori, Marton and Szabo, Laszlo E. (2009) Is the relativity principle consistent with electrodynamics? Towards a logico-empiricist reconstruction of a physical theory. [Preprint]

WarningThere is a more recent version of this item available.
[img]
Preview
PDF
MG-LESz-rp_ed.pdf

Download (325kB)

Abstract

It is common in the literature on electrodynamics and relativity theory that the transformation rules for the basic electrodynamical quantities are derived from the hypothesis that the relativity principle (RP) applies for Maxwell's electrodynamics. As it will turn out from our analysis, these derivations raise several problems, and certain steps are logically questionable. This is, however, not our main concern in this paper. Even if these derivations were completely correct, they leave open the following questions: (1) Is (RP) a true law of nature for electrodynamical phenomena? (2) Are, at least, the transformation rules of the fundamental electrodynamical quantities, derived from (RP), true? (3) Is (RP) consistent with the laws of electrodynamics in one single inertial frame of reference? (4) Are, at least, the derived transformation rules consistent with the laws of electrodynamics in one single frame of reference? Obviously, (1) and (2) are empirical questions. In this paper, we will investigate problems (3) and (4). First we will give a general mathematical formulation of (RP). In the second part, we will deal with the operational definitions of the fundamental electrodynamical quantities. As we will see, these semantic issues are not as trivial as one might think. In the third part of the paper, applying what J. S. Bell calls “Lorentzian pedagogy”---according to which the laws of physics in any one reference frame account for all physical phenomena---we will show that the transformation rules of the electrodynamical quantities are identical with the ones obtained by presuming the covariance of the coupled Maxwell--Lorentz equations, and that the covariance is indeed satisfied. As to problem (3), the situation is much more complex. As we will see, the relativity principle is actually not a matter of the covariance of the physical equations, but it is a matter of the details of the solutions of the equations, which describe the behavior of moving objects. This raises conceptual problems concerning the meaning of the notion “the same system in a collective motion”. In case of electrodynamics, there seems no satisfactory solution to this conceptual problem; thus, contrary to the widespread views, the question we asked in the title has no obvious answer.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Gomori, Marton
Szabo, Laszlo E.
Keywords: relativity principle; electrodynamics; logico-empiricist
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
General Issues > Laws of Nature
General Issues > Theory/Observation
Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
General Issues > Operationalism/Instrumentalism
General Issues > Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism
Depositing User: Prof. Laszlo E. Szabo
Date Deposited: 22 Dec 2009
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2010 15:19
Item ID: 5069
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
General Issues > Laws of Nature
General Issues > Theory/Observation
Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
General Issues > Operationalism/Instrumentalism
General Issues > Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism
Date: December 2009
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/5069

Available Versions of this Item

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item