Coffey, Kevin
(2020)
On the Ontology of Particle Mass and Energy in Special Relativity.
[Preprint]
Abstract
Einstein claimed that the fundamental dynamical insight of special relativity was the equivalence of mass and energy. I disagree. Not only are mass and energy not equivalent (whatever exactly that means) but talk of such equivalence obscures the real dynamical insight of special relativity, which concerns the nature of 4-forces and interactions more generally. In this paper I present and defend a new ontology of special relativistic particle dynamics that makes this insight perspicuous and I explain how alleged cases of mass--energy conversion can be accommodated within that ontology.
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On the Ontology of Particle Mass and Energy in Special Relativity. (deposited 19 Feb 2020 01:08)
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