Roger Luebeck   © 2008,  2011,  2024


10/17/2025


Recall that the absolute approach to special relativity reveals the same thing that the relative approach assumes -- that there is no privileged frame of reference in which to conduct experiments.

In this snippet from my article "Understanding what generates symmetry of measure and the time differential in special relativity", we see that a strictly relativist approach to the twins paradox mirrors the strict relativist's failure to grasp the true nature of an inertial frame in a consistent manner.

A short ways into this snippet we see John A. Wheeler, Richard Feynman, Lucas & Hodgson, Edward Lowry, Richard Wolfson and Michio Kaku all fail in their attempts to resolve the twins paradox. That is status-quo throughout the literature -- text books and otherwise.


Begin snippet:

---

.. end snippet from Symmetry of measure in relativity



In 1920, at Leyden, Einstein forcefully argued for the pertinence, in special relativity, of the structure of space which he had neglected in his 1905 and 1916 treatments. The underlying reality of the structure of space (totality) is what is dictating the time-keeping differential. Yes, the universe does actually exist, and we do actually have motion relative to the universe -- the imparter of inertial properties and the judge of motion.

As Einstein plainly stated at Leyden in 1920, "Mach's idea finds its full development in the ether of General Relativity" and "Space without ether is unthinkable; for in such space there .. would be .. no possibility of existence for standards of space and time, [specifically] our measuring-rods and clocks, nor therefore any [space or time] intervals in the physical sense." [30]

30. Einstein, A. Ether and the Theory of Relativity. English translation from the German. (1922). Methuen & Co. Ltd, London. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Extras/Einstein_ether

See: Einstein at Leyden


Also see my tutorial for computing non-kinematical and kinematical time-keeping dilation, with commentary on the Hafele-Keating study of circumnavigating jets: time-dilation.pdf


Home page:

Relativity Trail will provide you with complete detailed algebraic derivations of all the kinematical effects of special relativity. Everything is charted out in absolute terms against a system at rest with respect to the totality of the universe for perfect clarity as well as soundness of theoretical basis.


©   2008,  2011,  2024   Roger Luebeck


site map