On 8-1-2011 18:35, Darren New wrote:
> Warp wrote:
>> Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
>>> Warp wrote:
>>>> This is a rather fair assumption
>>>> to make because it's the result of a measurement
>>
>>> Actually, I believe einstein hypothesized that because Maxwell's
>>> equations (amongst others) had it down as a constant.
>>
>> What I meant is that if you were to deduce the Lorentz transformations
>> now (eg. for an article on relativity), you can refer to experiments such
>> as the famous Michelson-Morley experiment (which predates special
>> relativity
>> by almost 20 years). Even if Einstein had never even heard of such an
>> experiment (which I really find hard to believe, but whatever), it
>> doesn't
>> really matter. It's still a fair assumption to make because of that and
>> many other experiments.
>>
>
> I wasn't really disagreeing. Just pointing out where the hypothesis came
> from that the evidence turned into a theory.

A modern way would be to assume that there are 3 space dimensions and 
one time, with a distance between 2 points defined by x^2+Y^2+z^2-ct^2 
(though I am not sure if that was a necessary assumption, it has been a 
long time).
Investigate what happens if in this universe laws have to be invariant 
for translation and rotation.
That will give you Lorentz contraction and Maxwell's equations, and 
light that propagates with lightspeed. But that is just maths and not 
science. ;)
OTOH if this is not observed in our universe, we either have more than 4 
space/time dimensions or laws are not invariant, both do not seem 
compatible with reality.

Post a reply to this message