The Special Theory of Relativity is basically concerned with the speed of light, not light itself. In science “c” denotes this speed of light. When we say “light” we are referring to all radiant energy. It would be more appropriate actually, to call c the speed of radiant energy. This speed, c, is the maximum speed in the universe. The reason for this, and the reason it is approximately 300,000 km/second and not some other speed, we will discuss later.
There are three main points to Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity. The first of these is that as you speed up an object, time for that object slows down; and, as that object approaches the speed of light, time for it approaches zero.
The second point of Einstein’s Special Theory is that as you speed up an object, its’ length in the direction of travel becomes less; and, as it approaches the speed of light its’ length approaches zero.
The third point to Einstein’s Special Theory is that as you speed up an object its’ mass (often thought of as weight, but more accurately a measure of its’ inertia) increases; and, as the object approaches the speed of light its’ mass approaches infinity.
What’s really happening???
What is it these three conditions are really describing? When you understand that, then some of the things that appear to be irrational about Einstein’s Special Theory become more reasonable, and you will begin to understand how this theory can help explain some of the mysteries of Quantum physics.
Time is a construct which man has devised in order to provide him with the means to determine the position of objects before or after some relative motion has occurred. Time is a measure of relative motion and cannot exist without it.
The first condition of the Special Theory of Relativity should not be that at c time stops, but rather that at c there is no relative motion.
The second condition in the Special Theory of Relativity has to do with space rather than just the length of an accelerating object. The fact that the length of an accelerating object only decreases in the direction of travel gives us a clue to what is really happening.
“Distance” is defined as the length of a line between two points. Distance is always measured in the direction of travel. As an object accelerates it is the distance it travels that approaches 0 as the speed of the object approaches c. At c it is distance that becomes 0. If the distance in any direction that you would want to travel is 0, then space must also be 0. If there is no “distance” there can be no “space.”
The second condition of the Special Theory of Relativity should not be that at c length becomes 0, but rather, that at c there is no space.
The third condition of the Special Theory of Relativity describes what happens to mass at c. Mass increases as you increase the speed of an object, but so does the amount of energy it takes to continue the acceleration. At some point the amount of energy necessary to continue the acceleration of the object must overcome the energy that binds the parts of the object together and the object itself would disintegrate (convert) into energy at the rate of E=mc2. At some point before reaching c all mass would convert to energy.
The third condition of the Special Theory of Relativity should not be that at c mass becomes infinite, but rather that at c there is no mass.
What Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity really tells us is that at the speed of light there is no relative motion, no space and no mass. The only situation which I can imagine, that would allow for these three conditions to exist simultaneously is to have a single unit of something that totally imbibes the dimension in which it exists.
Making sense of it all
All radiant energy must exist under the conditions described above. How then, does energy exist in the Space, Matter, and Motion universe, which we observe through our senses? It simply could not. The dimension of energy must interact in some way with our observed dimension of space, matter, and motion to give our senses the impression of coexistence.
Our current knowledge of Physics and Math allows us to trace the development of our universe back to 10–43 second after the Big Bang, but no further. It was at this point that I suspect the dimension of energy and the dimension of space, matter, and motion originated. I further suspect that they have been interacting with a frequency of 10-43 seconds ever since. In his book “A New Kind of Science” Wolfram speculates that time is digital with the smallest unit of time being 10-43 seconds. That would then also make 10-43 seconds the smallest measure of relative motion.
In “A New Kind of Science” Wolfram further speculates that in systems represented by complicated causal networks, “…the only thing that ultimately makes sense is to measure space and time taking each connection in the causal network to correspond to an identical elementary distance in space and elementary element in time.” (Page 520) He suggests that the elementary distance in space is 10-35 meters (making space digital.)
The limiting speed in the universe would be the result of the smallest unit of space being divided by the smallest unit of time (10-35 meters/10-43 seconds), approximately the speed of light. It would be the same throughout the universe and it would be independent of the relative motion of individual parts of the universe just as the Special Theory of Relativity predicts.
If all energy were a single unit of something, the mystery of non-locality in quantum physics would be resolved. Energy, as a single unit, would be “aware”(I don’t know what word would be more appropriate) simultaneously of the conditions at all of its extremities. It would take at most 10-43 seconds (its’ frequency of interaction) for energy to communicate a signal from any one part of the space, matter, and motion universe, through “itself”, to any other part of that universe. That is about as close to instantaneous as you can get in our space, matter, and motion universe.
Implications
If all energy is a single unit of something, abiding in its own dimension and interacting at regular intervals with our observable dimension of space, matter, and motion, then the laws of classical physics and the puzzling effects this energy has on sub-atomic particles as described by quantum theory, may be more closely related than we have realized.
A better understanding of this relationship could help us to explore the wonders of our consciousness, while at the same time exposing significant implications for both mysticism and theology.
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