2016/02/08 by Paul A. Klevgard, Klevgard, Paul A.
Physics and Astronomy · #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #FOS: Physical sciences #History and Philosophy of Physics (physics.hist-ph) #Planetary Science and Exploration #Quantum Mechanics and Applications #Relativity and Gravitational Theory
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1602.02829
openalex publication_date 2016/02/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
For over a century Minkowskian spacetime has dominated discussions of space\ncontraction and time dilation within special relativity. Brown and Pooley have\ncalled into question both the assumptions of Minkowski and the effects his\npresumed spacetime has upon objects in motion. But while they reject Minkowski,\nBrown and Pooley do not fill in the missing causal connection between velocity\nand space contraction and time dilation. To supply this causal connection\nbetween object and observer in relative motion we should be focusing on energy\ndifference rather than velocity difference. When different inertial observers\nat different relative velocities measure the same rod (or clock), each observer\nregisters a different amount of kinetic energy for the object. Following the\nconsequences of this permits a new understanding of relativistic space\ncontraction and time dilation.\n