Fix Physics! – Reverse Engineer Relativity, Quantum Mechanics and the Standard Model, Get Rid of Outdated Assumptions, Consolidate, and Reconstruct on New First Principles by Vladimir F. Tamari

Vladimir,

Your analysis of the constancy/inconstancy of the speed of light is insufficient. You wrote:

"Unfortunately by proposing that the speed of light (c) is constant, Einstein imposed a strange requirement on Nature: Space itself expands and contracts, and time dilates, as measured from a moving inertial frame. He made measurement absolute, i.e. (c) is constant (light being the 'tool' that measures distance and time), but the universe itself became relative - there is no absolute ether in which events occur. This is the exact opposite of what happens in the Lorentz transformations that inspired (SR), whereby the universe is absolute (a universal medium or ether exists) but it is measurement that is relative (clocks slow down as they move, not time itself, and measuring rods physically contract, not space itself, and (c) need not be fixed. In any case both in (SR) and in Lorentz' theory, the measured speed of light ends up being the same."

If, according to the ether theory that you defend, the speed of light "need not be fixed", just give an example showing how the speed of light varies.

Are time dilation and length contraction RECIPROCAL according to the ether theory that you defend? That is, does any observer see any other observer's clock running slow?

Pentcho Valev

In Lorentz ether theory time dilation and length contraction are not reciprocal, Vladimir. This fact is usually ignored but still some authors do mention it:

W.L. Craig, The Tenseless Theory of Time, p. 26: "Kroes, however, disputes Dieks' s claim in this regard. He charges that Dieks has overlooked the fact that in Einstein's theory these relativistic effects are RECIPROCAL. Lorentz's dynamical interpretations of the shortening of rods and of time dilation only make sense because they are not reciprocal."

Pentcho Valev

Dear Vladimir,

What a great essay! When I read the sentence "Clever mathematics allows defining the same phenomena in different ways: in geometry a circle is realistically defined by its center and radius, but a relatively complicated algebraic definition is also possible - the latter however gives no idea of its shape." I said, there's a man after my own heart, an art-science creator unbound by a single category. It's hard not to think of the successful math that proved for eighteen-hundred years the Sun circled the Earth.

An artist friend, Harry Holtzman, long gone, used to say that, "Hardening of the categories leads to art disease." Isn't something like this true also of science? I remember a Robert Oppenheimer interview in which he emphasized the need to create or maintain bridges between disciplines, the most likely fertile ground for making new discoveries.

My argument is against the bullying long ago by the Copenhagen powers that excluded forever students with strong visual sensibilities and talent from participating in the world of quantum physics. Since 1930 people have been scared to death even to hint that the atom might possibly be a real and logical device. Sorry, Vladimir, but I've set off my personal tick, that hidden spring that gets me started the moment I think atom.

I admire greatly your image of science as a dwelling with many separate rooms disconnected from one another. Looking at your brilliant illustrations it occurred to me that one day when you've mulled over the architectural possibilities you might find yourself sketching an improved architecture, a co-op to house the different disciplines but with connecting rooms.

With great admiration and best wishes,

Ken Snelson

Vladimir,

Although your analysis of the constancy/inconstancy of the speed of light is insufficient, you have gone far enough towards the truth so you get maximum rating from me.

Note that my essay is no longer in the contest so there is no bargaining in my message.

Pentcho Valev

Dear Vladimir,

In the framework of the Theory of Infinite Nesting of Matter (my essay) I answer your question in such way: 1). The world consist of numerous objects (particles, stars, galaxies and so on). The matter of every objects consist of particles of low levels of matter. The physical state of matter of different objects is different. But it is possible to find coefficients of similarity between similar objects at different levels of matter and with them predict properties of objects. The wave quanta may be represented as changes of density of fluxes of gravitons which consist of neutrino, photons and charged particles similar to cosmic rays (all of it was born at low levels of matter by particles much more less then nucleons). Space is mathematical construction and realized only throw real particle and material reference frame. Flexibility of space is the same as flexibility of all reference frames - it is no more then mathematical trick. 3). How we can understand that speed of light c is constant in all inertial systems? This question is well seen in Extended special theory of relativity . It is shown that constancy of speed of light in all inertial systems may be a consequence of constancy of speed of light in isotropic reference frame where the speed is the same in all direction and may be connected with isotropy of fluxes of gravitons. Another reason is procedure of space-time measurement in special relativity which uses two-way propagation of waves. With such procedure averaging of speed of light take place giving the value of c. But real speed in a direction may be not c. See Metric theory of relativity. Ether consist of fluxes of gravitons. 4). Gravitation change only paths of photons and their energy, not the spacetime itself. Since space-time measurements use electromagnetic waves then the metric of space-time is changed in the field of gravity in relation to the Minkowski metric. So some one thinks that spacetime is warped. 5). The model of photons is in paper Cosmic Red Shift, Microwave Background, and New Particles.. The photons consist of numerous charged tiny particles, rotating around axis of motion. The model of electron is in the book: The physical theories and infinite nesting of matter.. 7). There is the model of quarks and in the model quarks are quasiparticles not real particles.

Sergey Fedosin

Vladimir,

Great discussion. I for one think that the vacuum of space can change or be changed to break the constancy of light speed.

For this contest, I decided to go through and comment on essays of interest and see what responses I got to my own essay. There are over 250 entries, so I narrowed down my evaluations. For only those who responded, I decided to reread and provide my evaluations before time expired, not making it a popularity contest but keeping in mind that I entered for an exchange of interesting ideas, whether I agree or not. Some concepts are superior and more persuasively supported.

I think yours comes under that guideline.

Jim

The problem with the speed of light is existential, not just scientific, Vladimir. If the speed of light does depend on the speed of the light source, that is, if Einstein's 1905 light postulate is false, an unavoidable conclusion is that not only Einstein's relativity but modern physics as a whole has been long dead. Einstein hinted at this in 1954 but hid the real problem behind a euphemism:

Albert Einstein (1954): "I consider it entirely possible that physics cannot be based upon the field concept, that is on continuous structures. Then nothing will remain of my whole castle in the air, including the theory of gravitation, but also nothing of the rest of contemporary physics."

Joao Magueijo is more explicit:

Joao Magueijo: "In sharp contrast, the constancy of the speed of light has remain sacred, and the term "heresy" is occasionally used in relation to "varying speed of light theories". The reason is clear: the constancy of c, unlike the constancy of G or e, is the pillar of special relativity and thus of modern physics. Varying c theories are expected to cause much more structural damage to physics formalism than other varying constant theories."

Pentcho Valev

Dear Vladimir,

I've read your very interesting paper and taken a peek at your website. I have a great appreciation of the artistic way you have expressed yourself, both verbally and pictorially. Your diagrams really are beautiful. I very much agree that the spirit of investigation and specifics you define in the title of your essay is just what is needed for the advancement of Physics today. I haven't had prior communications with members of FQXi so perhaps I'm a little behind the ball in knowing what each essay stands for besides what is actually presented within it.

I'd like to ask if you find in the contents of this essay a very real and very rigorous realization of the command "Reverse Engineer Relativity"? The mathematics may be a bit heavy in places so I wouldn't expect many to be able to follow every item, except for plasma physicists who routinely deal with the constitutive relations. But there is possibly enough verbal description to understand what is taking place there.

With best wishes,

Steve

Dear Tamari,

Thank you for an interesting essay. You are one of the few in this contest who has discussed a number of different assumptions and this reflect your broad worldwide vision of physics.

We agree in many more forms that I can write here. For instance, you quote Einstein saying that the speed of light has to "vary with position" when light curves in a gravitational field. We obtain the same conclusion from the field theoretic approach to gravity presented in my Essay. The velocity that we obtain (in the weak field limit) is

[math]v = c - \frac{2GM}{cr}[/math]

where M is the mass of the star (e.g. Sun) and r the distance. The above expression gives the observed light bending due to the gravitational field. In my essay and in the cited references I also show how the geometric interpretation of gravity is only valid as approximation, in agreement with comments you made in your Q4.

We also agree on the artificial character of the particle-wave duality. I have presented in my FQXi forum (1356) a new formulation/interpretation of QM that avoids the usual paradoxes and puzzles and demonstrates that Einstein was right in his ensemble interpretation of QM, whereas Bohr was not in their individual/Copenhagen interpretation. I loved your intelligent use of the term "zombie cats" for referring to the Schrödinger cat paradox. In future, I will use your term "zombie cats" when discussing about this paradox.

Regards

So the speed of light decreases as the light leaves the gravitational field of the star. If this light then comes here on earth, is its speed still decreased? Is the gravitational redshift we measure evidence for this decreased speed?

Pentcho Valev

If the speed of light varies with the gravitational potential, as Vladimir and Juan claim, does it vary with the speed of the observer in gravitation-free space? The answer is "yes":

"Doppler Shift. As long as the velocity of the observer, v, is much smaller than the speed of light, c, (for the case of sound waves much smaller than the speed of sound) then the expression that we derived is a very good approximation. Taking into account v may be in the opposite direction: f'=f(1±v/c). At this point you might ask why the shift in direction from the discussion of the equivalence principle. Soon, as we shall see, we can put this together with the equivalence principle to derive the gravitational redshift of light! In 1960 Pound and Rebka and later, 1965, with an improved version Pound and Snider measured the gravitational redshift of light using the Harvard tower, h=22.6m. From the equivalence principle, at the instant the light is emitted from the transmitter, only a freely falling observer will measure the same value of f that was emitted by the transmitter. But the stationary receiver is not free falling. During the time it takes light to travel to the top of the tower, t=h/c, the receiver is traveling at a velocity, v=gt, away from a free falling receiver. Hence the measured frequency is: f'=f(1-v/c)=f(1-gh/c^2)."

The stationary observer measures the speed of light to be c'=c(1-gh/c^2)=c-v. The equivalence principle converts the stationary observer into an observer "traveling at a velocity, v=gt, away from a free falling receiver". This observer also measures the speed of light to be c'=c-v.

Pentcho Valev

Yes, when light comes here on earth its speed is still decreasing per above expression.

No, the gravitational redshift is not given by the decreased speed. Note that during its travel from the source to the detector, the photon's kinetic energy varies so as to ensure conservation of energy. When the photon gets absorbed by the detector it disappears completely, so its total energy gets transferred to the detector rather than the kinetic energy alone. The photon's total energy (and its frequency) remains constant during its travel, so the attraction of photons to massive bodies does not play any role in the gravitational red shift. The true origin of the red shift is the variation of energy levels in the source and/or in the detector if they are placed in the gravitational field.

Moreover, the above result is obtained from the Hamiltonian for a photon in a gravitational field. For a massive body (e.g. atom) in a gravitational field the Hamiltonian is, in a first approximation,

[math]H = H_0 \left( 1 - \frac{GM}{rc^2}\right)[/math]

Which gives the well-tested red-shift formula

[math]\frac{\Delta E}{\Delta E_0 } = 1 - \frac{GM}{rc^2}[/math]

Dear Vladimir

You make me realize I should have paid more attention to Young and Eddington. I do so elsewhere http://iopscience.iop.org/0143-0807/30/4/014 but not in relation to Riemann. Thanks for making me think more deeply about the issues.

Your essay was sometime out of league but always fascinating, original and creative. Hope more thinkers adopt your style. Beauty is not a scientific add-on but a necessary requirement.

Dear Vladimir,

Thank you for comparing me with a "skilled matador" although I must introduce the next disclaimer: "No theories or cats were harmed in my essay" :-)

GR is based in a geometrisation principle, which states that gravitation can be completely understood in geometrical terms. This is the source of the well-known problems of GR, including the impossibility to quantize it.

The field theory of gravity (FTG) abandons this geometrisation principle and embraces an unification principle where gravity is described as a force (although the gravitational force is more complex than the electromagnetic force of course). Geometrical gravity (GR) is an approximation to physical gravity (FTG), somehow as geometrical optics is an approximation to physical optics. Below I attach images of light bending as spacetime curvature (GR) vs light bending as gravitational force (FTG). Feel free to reuse them in your future works if you like them.

Finally, I must say that I agree about abandoning the point photons. My point of view is similar to that by Feynman. As stated in my essay. I could not write about other topics because of the size-limit for this contest!Attachment #1: flatspacetime.gifAttachment #2: curvedspacetime.gif

Vladimir,

You contradict yourself:

You wrote: "The simple and elegant equivalence principle (gravity = acceleration) had to carry the excessive baggage of SR with its unphysical and unrealistic postulate that c is constant. That twisted the whole universe into a complicated and unphysical geometrical pattern."

But then you wrote: "But do not worry, in the area of physics that you seem most concerned with, even in my theory in the absence of gravity or other fields measured lengths contracts and clock time dilates, so in effect c remains constant."

Perhaps, if Einstein's speed-of-light postulate is "unphysical and unrealistic", then its consequences - length contraction and time dilation - are just theoretical artifacts that correspond to nothing in the real world?

Pentcho Valev

Dear Vladimir F. Tamari,

First I would like to thank you for pointing out some 5 very good essays in this competition. All of them are great and represent a new thought process integrated into contemporary interpretation of nature. They all represent a much higher level of understanding of contemporary physics than that is available with me. My comments are therefore reflective of an enterpretation from Pico-Physics point of view of reality that is subject matter of the discussions at these blogs.

I will try to summarise my comments in a logical fashion, and provide the same in this blog. In this essay, you have brought out the difficulty of contemporary thought processes in physics to present an integrated view of nature.

Pico-Physics starts with the assumption that this is very much on the cards and identifies a power statement (Unary Law) 'Space Contains Matter (Knergy)' as the point of integration. PicoPhysics starts from here, and with minimal additional assumptions is able to explain observations on nature. You will get a glimpse of the same on my comments on the topics of these essays.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Vijay Gupta

Note:

PicoPhysics was the name given to my thought process to make it in-personal. It means a thought process which is independant of dimensions of object and observer. Thus the mother law is valid and true in all dimensions sub particle to dimensions of universe (astronomical).

Unary law - 'Sapce Contains Matter-Knergy', In PicoPhysics is new first principle sought in your essay.

My essay 5-dimensions of universe is an attempt to guage the reaction to basic concepts in PicoPhysics. It is simple, and power statement at variance to general preception and thought process 3-4 dimensions of space without contradicting the same that reflects truth. It was expected that it will attract people's attention.

In Picophysics we prove 'space' in unary law needs to have 3-dimensions and then identify with space of contemporary physics.

I believe still more factual evidence is required for people to get out of the concept of conservation and understand need to ammend the same to Konservation.

I am more or less retired, as a result of stroke I suffered last year. So I spend some time on this blog and document some thoughts that I developed since 1960s. PicoPhysics work gives me a satisfaction of being able to understand the nature and being at piece with it. The short life expectancy is also a motivation to create my blog at picophysics.org

Dear Mr Vladimir,

I wholly subscribe to your views expressed in the essay 'Fix Physics . . '. I agree that A paradigm shift in physics is now overdue and assumptions such as 'photon-as-particle' 'quantum probability' and 'flexible space-time' are required to be understood in a better context. I also agree with the statement 'present day physics appears grossly and unnecessarily complicated'.

I agree with statement 'Physics was not invented (or discovered) in one go, but was built, one assumption on top of another.' Now it is time to fix it at foundations itself. The foundations define the dynamics or change that occurs in universe. Force and its reaction are drivers of the change. Behind these drivers is the conservation concept. In PicoPhysics we are improving this concept by making a distinction between Konservation and Conservation. This small distinction re-enforces the contemporary physics by integrating all of it together into a single statement (Postulate) called unary law.

You have posed a proper question - If simpler explanations can be found shouldn't they be adopted?

The answer to same is very complex. FQXI is giving us a platform, where we can speak our mind and we are all thankful for the same. For new radical thinking - there are multiple barriers to surpass. Language itself is a problem in expressing something fundamentally different. I have always found language to be a challenge to express thought process of PicoPhysics

Fix Physics

PicoPhysics View: Physics has developed thru generalization of human intuition into concepts and statements valid in different environment. Later the scope of these concepts is made conditional, making room for continuous improvement as human knowledge of nature gathered steam. So the truth and validity of concepts and statements of contemporary Physics can not be denied as at there base is human intuition based on observed facts of nature. It can be qualified and new ground level set for concepts and statements developed. PicoPhysics is an effort in this direction.

The reconstruction of first principles is thus a need of the times as contemporary physics gradually failing to keep pace with continuously increasing human knowledge about universe.

Mis-match assumptions 'photon-as-particle' 'quantum probability' and 'flexible space-time' are required to be understood in a better context.

As a PicoPhysicist, I would like to answer questions raised by you;

Q1: ARE MATTER, SPACE & RADIATION MADE OF DIFFERENT STUFF?

Yes, while matter and radiation are geo-forms of Knergy, space is independent of Knergy.

Q2: DOES TIME REALLY EXIST?

Yes, It exist as a dimension of Knergy. This dimension is mapped onto space in the drift direction and provides meaning to word 'Contain' of unary law. However Samay is chronological dimension and defines the gap between instants and simultaneity.

Q3: IS THE SPEED OF LIGHT ACTUALLY CONSTANT, SPACETIME FLEXIBLE & THE ETHER NONEXISTENT?

Yes, qualified - needs to account for space heterogeneity introduced by presence of matter in the vicinity. Presence of matter increases space density and apparent reduction in speed of light.

Q4: DOES GRAVITY REALLY WARP SPACE AND TIME?

Question is not relevant to PicoPhysics. Gravitation is due to heterogeneity of space. For gravitation force to exist a space density gradient is a pre-requisite. Greater is the gradient; greater is deviation of light towards higher density (lower radius of curvature).

Q5: IS THE PHOTON A PARTICLE & DO PARTICLES GENERATE WAVE FIELDS?

Yes, Photon is a particle composed of unit Knergy.

Yes, it creates a disturbance in space it traverses due to consumption of space by Knergy. The disturbance propagates with the photon, and appears as a pulse.

Q6: WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF QUANTUM PROBABILITY,

UNCERTAINTY & ENTANGLEMENT ?

When in an interaction, a transfer of Knergy is involved, it happens between period identified between two states of the system. Exact instant when it happens is unpredictable. To intuitive visualization of interaction - position of reactants or time of exchange is undefined during the period. Uncertainty principle is an expression of this phenomenon. A rejection of Knergy Quanta by receiver results in Entanglement - an interaction without final change of Knergy of reacting particles.

Q7: WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL BASIS FOR THE STANDARD MODEL?

As of now, PicoPhysics do not understand Standard Model. Its model of particle is based on confinement of Knergy in repetitive circular motion due to unary interaction (Refraction) resulting from self-sustaining Knergy distribution.

Q8: Are Dark Energy and Dark Matter the same as a repulsive Universal

Dielectric ether?

No, Dark Energy or Matter is low density distribution of Knergy, such that consumption of space by Knergy present equals the generation rate of free space. This practically isolates the dark energy from affecting other Knergy identities. (Dark Energy does not interact with others by gravitation).

Q9: If the Ether is made of repulsive particles would the Big Bang start not from a point, but a volume cluster of these particles?

This question is not relevant. As the universe is in a continuous equilibrium state, where some matter is being formed out of dark energy and other is transformed into dark energy. Knergy follows something like a matter cycle - changing its form from Dark energy, Elementary Particles, Matter, Astronomical objects, Photons, Cosmic Back Ground Radiations, Dark Matter. The matter cycle begins and ends with Dark Matter as most stable form of existence of Knergy.

Originally, I thought I would provide a glimpse of my comments on other excellent essays suggested by you. But after reading your essay, I thought otherwise. But my comments are available with discussion on individual essay.

Thanks and best Regards,

Vijay Gupta

Proponent - Unary Law 'Space Contains Knergy'.

Dear Vladmir,

I belive you will appreciate the answers to your questions are resulting from an integrated thought process based on Unary Law - Space Contains Knergy.

I read your paper, as it has much better readability. There are some others who are fit for publication in Physics Review and written for, by and readable to contemporary scientists.

I will appreciate if you can evaluate my comments on other papers pointed by you as significant contributions in the competition.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Vijay Gupta

Proponent - Unary Law 'Space Contain Knergy'.

After studying about 250 essays in this contest, I realize now, how can I assess the level of each submitted work. Accordingly, I rated some essays, including yours.

Cood luck.

Sergey Fedosin

Hi Vladimir,

Thanks for your further explanation. It's good to know that our perspectives are aligned and I'll read more from your website to get a better understanding. Your question is important but I'm afraid it's not so simple to give an answer right away. I'm not aware of any literature treating the issue outside of the GR paradigm. I just checked Penfield and Haus "Electrodynamics of Moving Media" and though there is a very brief discussion of gravity I see no analysis of how electrodynamics is affected.

Permittivity and permeability for a medium are derived from the dispersion relations. i.e., the equations for determining them would be derived in a similar manner as the Lorentz-Lorenz formula. To do that, I'd use a similar procedure to what is shown in my essay for the interaction of an electron with incident fields, but would add to the Lorentz force law a force equation for the difference of gravitational force on 2 sides of the electron.

Without doing the work, I think you would find that yes, there would be a change in the effective permittivity and permeability values in the vicinity of an object of strong gravitational fields. But that is a very preliminary assessment.

Cheers,

Steve

Vladimir,

You wrote: " When objecting to the constancy of the speed of light I should always add that I believe there is a *maximum* speed of light c in a vacuum free of gravity and e/m fields, but that light slows down in denser media such as a gravitational field, air, water or glass etc."

The problem is different. See this:

Roger Barlow, Professor of Particle Physics: "The Doppler effect - changes in frequencies when sources or observers are in motion - is familiar to anyone who has stood at the roadside and watched (and listened) to the cars go by. It applies to all types of wave, not just sound. (...) Moving Observer. Now suppose the source is fixed but the observer is moving towards the source, with speed v. In time t, ct/(lambda) waves pass a fixed point. A moving point adds another vt/(lambda). So f'=(c+v)/(lambda)."

"In time t, ct/(lambda) waves pass a fixed point." That is, the speed of the waves relative to the fixed observer is c.

"A moving point adds another vt/(lambda)." That is, the speed of the waves relative to the moving observer becomes c'=c+v.

Is c'=c+v correct, Vladimir?

Pentcho Valev

If you do not understand why your rating dropped down. As I found ratings in the contest are calculated in the next way. Suppose your rating is [math]R_1 [/math] and [math]N_1 [/math] was the quantity of people which gave you ratings. Then you have [math]S_1=R_1 N_1 [/math] of points. After it anyone give you [math]dS [/math] of points so you have [math]S_2=S_1+ dS [/math] of points and [math]N_2=N_1+1 [/math] is the common quantity of the people which gave you ratings. At the same time you will have [math]S_2=R_2 N_2 [/math] of points. From here, if you want to be R2 > R1 there must be: [math]S_2/ N_2>S_1/ N_1 [/math] or [math] (S_1+ dS) / (N_1+1) >S_1/ N_1 [/math] or [math] dS >S_1/ N_1 =R_1[/math] In other words if you want to increase rating of anyone you must give him more points [math]dS [/math] then the participant`s rating [math]R_1 [/math] was at the moment you rated him. From here it is seen that in the contest are special rules for ratings. And from here there are misunderstanding of some participants what is happened with their ratings. Moreover since community ratings are hided some participants do not sure how increase ratings of others and gives them maximum 10 points. But in the case the scale from 1 to 10 of points do not work, and some essays are overestimated and some essays are drop down. In my opinion it is a bad problem with this Contest rating process. I hope the FQXI community will change the rating process.

Sergey Fedosin

Thank you Vladimir,

I did mean that only people who still believes that GR is a kind of final theory will be troubled by the new research. However, the theory itself does not care!

I have downloaded the Beautiful Universe theory figure to my desktop.

Recall that the force is computed from a field potential. Therefore the density of energy varies locally (in the special case when this density is uniform, the force is zero).

Regards