Einstein and other initiated have always known, except perhaps for a short period after 1905, that the second postulate (of the constancy of the speed of light) is false. Accordingly, while numerous bellicose zombies destroyed the life of anyone questioning the truth of the second postulate, the initiated developed an alternative strategy called "Relativity without c". This strategy, combined with the traditional one defended by zombies and called "Relativity with c", formed eventually the global strategy called "Relativity Forever". Three examples of the strategy "Relativity without c" in action:

 

1. A. Einstein, "Relativity", Chapter 22.

 

2. The initiated Tom Roberts, on sci.physics.relativity:

Tom Roberts wrote:

> Pentcho Valev wrote:

> > CAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT EXCEED 300000 km/s IN A GRAVITATIONAL FIELD?

>

> Sure, depending on the physical conditions of the measurement. It can

> also be less than "300000 km/s" (by which I assume you really mean the

> standard value for c). And this can happen even for an accelerated

> observer in a region without any significant gravitation (e.g. in

> Minkowski spacetime).

>

> GR predicts that measurements of the speed of light in a

> locally-inertial frame using standard clocks and rulers will always

> obtain the value c (to within the accuracy that the local frame is

> inertial). But if you use non-standard rulers or clocks, or measure over

> a non-local distance, or in a non-inertial frame, then you can obtain a

> different value; perhaps wildly different. For instance, in an

> accelerated rocketship in Minkowski spacetime one could measure an

> infinite value for the speed of light; or a zero value, or even crazier

> values....

> Tom Roberts tjroberts@lucent.com

 

3. "Relativity without c" on p. 35 in

http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~phys16/Textbook/ch10.pdf . Clearly, the only "Relativity without c" turn out the be the Galilean transformations (p. 37), but the naive reader (in the era of Postscientism almost all readers are naive) is misled into believing that equations having the same form as the Lorentz transformations (equations 10.71 on p. 36) are indispensable. And the indispensability of such equations guarantees the success of the global strategy "Relativity Forever".

 

Pentcho Valev

Einstein and other initiated have always known' date=' except perhaps for a short period after 1905, that the second postulate (of the constancy of the speed of light) is false.

 

...

 

2. The initiated Tom Roberts, on sci.physics.relativity:

Tom Roberts wrote:

> Pentcho Valev wrote:

> > CAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT EXCEED 300000 km/s IN A GRAVITATIONAL FIELD?

[/quote']

 

 

Special relativity applies only in inertial frames. A gravitational field, or any accelerating frame, is not inertial.

Thanks, swansont.

 

Any questions? No? Closed.