Zoltan the Temporal Mechanic

The problem with special relativity.

There are many subtle symptoms of a problem with special relativity, they’re easy to overlook but difficult to identify.

Paradoxes

The special theory needs paradoxes, the ladder paradox for space and the twin paradox for time. Interestingly, Newtonian mechanics doesn’t need paradoxes. The paradoxes aren’t as robust as they seem.

Rest and Motion

The special theory says that all motion is relative, and yet it says that system S is at rest and system S’ is in motion. When the theory says that system S is at rest, if all motion is relative, system S is at rest relative to what?

Transverse Dimensions

The special theory restricts the relative motion to the mutual x dimensions of S and S’. That’s a valid constraint on the x dimension, it needs no justification. The y and z dimensions are transverse to that motion. The special theory says that there can be displacement in transverse dimensions, and that such displacement is unaltered by a transformation of coordinates. In comparison to the x and t dimensions, whose equations are derived, the equations for the y and z dimensions are assumed, with rationale provided. It can be demonstrated by physical model that this assumption is valid only for the trivial case y=0 and z=0.

Homogeneity

The special theory says that space and time are homogeneous. “Zunachst ist klar, das die gleichungen linear sein mussen wegen das homogenitatseigenschaften, welche wir raum und zeit beiligen” but the transformation of time does not satisfy the mathematic requirement of homogeneity.