2
1 The Discovery of the Ether
Could it be possible that those searching for a flaw in the Special Theory of
Relativity are in the right?—The Special Theory of Relativity is in itself without
flaw. It is as flawless as the laws of geometry. Anyone can verify this using a pair of
compasses and a ruler. In D. E. Liebscher’s [57] pocketbook about Special Relativity,
it is described and explicitly shown in all aspects for everybody. Special Relativity
can be falsified in physical terms, if its boundaries of validity are passed, e.g. when
considering gravity. We can only experiment with gravitational masses. As is well
known, the gravitational field cannot be described from the standpoint of Special
Relativity.
Using gravitation does not help us comprehend Special Relativity any better.
In the ideal experiments concerning Special Relativity, we can keep all relevant
masses as small as possible, so that the gravitational effects stay as small as one
likes in comparison with the effects of Special Relativity. Using gravity as a means
of explaining the twin paradox in the Special Theory of Relativity has led to much
confusion. Besides, it would be unfair to make a difficult theory as we see it, even
more difficult by considering and including a gravitational field. (It could only work
in the opposite direction. We can concentrate on the General Theory of Relativity
after the Special Theory of Relativity including its conception of ether has been fully
understood. This in turn includes a generalisation of the special relativistic idea of
ether. We will however not discuss this problem here).
Faultless application of Special Relativity has become routine for physicists,
and instruction of usage has become so elementary that Special Relativity is now
instructed in some grammar schools.
All physical applicable statements about the Special Theory of Relativity can be
found in Einstein’s papers. Einstein specifically asked himself the question:
What is the ether?
He asked this question in his typical subtle and careful manner. The problem of ether
really was the origin of all the excitement. Since then, ether has been banned and
removed from all explanations concerning Special Relativity. This was done quite
simply, because those mentioning ether were in fear of being branded as critics of
SRT.
In theoretical physics, Special Relativity stands for the so-called Lorentz symmetry of a physical system,
1 as well as the Lorentz symmetry of measuring-rods and
clocks when observing a physical system. The exact meaning of this symmetry will
be discussed in Chaps. 13–16, where we will illustrate it. The following explanation
about the meaning of Lorentz symmetry will have to suffice for the meanwhile: As
long as this symmetry is valid without restrictions, we do not need to take the ether
into account. However, the ether becomes physically important if Lorentz symmetry
breaks down. For the fundamental equations of physics, such as Maxwell’s equa1 For the system of electromagnetic fields with spatial distributed electrical charges and currents,
this means that two observers moving towards each other with uniform velocity would observe the
same Maxwell equations. Their results are identical. The question about the mathematical form
of Maxwell’s equations for ‘moving’ observers was one of the fundamental problems a physicist
faced, before Einstein discovered the Special Theory of Relativity.
1 The Discovery of the Ether
Could it be possible that those searching for a flaw in the Special Theory of
Relativity are in the right?—The Special Theory of Relativity is in itself without
flaw. It is as flawless as the laws of geometry. Anyone can verify this using a pair of
compasses and a ruler. In D. E. Liebscher’s [57] pocketbook about Special Relativity,
it is described and explicitly shown in all aspects for everybody. Special Relativity
can be falsified in physical terms, if its boundaries of validity are passed, e.g. when
considering gravity. We can only experiment with gravitational masses. As is well
known, the gravitational field cannot be described from the standpoint of Special
Relativity.
Using gravitation does not help us comprehend Special Relativity any better.
In the ideal experiments concerning Special Relativity, we can keep all relevant
masses as small as possible, so that the gravitational effects stay as small as one
likes in comparison with the effects of Special Relativity. Using gravity as a means
of explaining the twin paradox in the Special Theory of Relativity has led to much
confusion. Besides, it would be unfair to make a difficult theory as we see it, even
more difficult by considering and including a gravitational field. (It could only work
in the opposite direction. We can concentrate on the General Theory of Relativity
after the Special Theory of Relativity including its conception of ether has been fully
understood. This in turn includes a generalisation of the special relativistic idea of
ether. We will however not discuss this problem here).
Faultless application of Special Relativity has become routine for physicists,
and instruction of usage has become so elementary that Special Relativity is now
instructed in some grammar schools.
All physical applicable statements about the Special Theory of Relativity can be
found in Einstein’s papers. Einstein specifically asked himself the question:
What is the ether?
He asked this question in his typical subtle and careful manner. The problem of ether
really was the origin of all the excitement. Since then, ether has been banned and
removed from all explanations concerning Special Relativity. This was done quite
simply, because those mentioning ether were in fear of being branded as critics of
SRT.
In theoretical physics, Special Relativity stands for the so-called Lorentz symmetry of a physical system,
1 as well as the Lorentz symmetry of measuring-rods and
clocks when observing a physical system. The exact meaning of this symmetry will
be discussed in Chaps. 13–16, where we will illustrate it. The following explanation
about the meaning of Lorentz symmetry will have to suffice for the meanwhile: As
long as this symmetry is valid without restrictions, we do not need to take the ether
into account. However, the ether becomes physically important if Lorentz symmetry
breaks down. For the fundamental equations of physics, such as Maxwell’s equa1 For the system of electromagnetic fields with spatial distributed electrical charges and currents,
this means that two observers moving towards each other with uniform velocity would observe the
same Maxwell equations. Their results are identical. The question about the mathematical form
of Maxwell’s equations for ‘moving’ observers was one of the fundamental problems a physicist
faced, before Einstein discovered the Special Theory of Relativity.