THE MATHEMATICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL AND EDUCATIONAL IMPACTS OF TIME DILATION AND LENGTH CONTRACTION

 

Talal Al-Ameen

Professor of Mathematics and Mathematical Physics, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU), KSA, talal_alameen@yahoo.co.uk, tameen@pmu.edu.sa

 

 

Abstract

Mathematically speaking, it is justifiable to state that 1=1. If 1=1, then 1=1xA is also correct if and only if A=+1. But can the same be said of 0=0? It is important to bear in mind that while 1 is a natural number, zero is not! There are difficulties associated with certain mathematical operations involving zero, such as dividing zero by zero, for they result in indeterminate values. Hence, unlike 1=1xA, the premise 0=0xA would be correct for any value of A. Thus, any theory founded upon 0=0xA, or any premise that permits more than one mathematical solution must be considered unsound for it would be liable to costly errors in its power to interpret the physical world accurately. In the course of the present work we will show that Standard Special Relativity is apparently tainted with a mathematical premise that is more inclined towards accepting 0=0×A. The mathematical, philosophical and pedagogical impacts of such a premise will be discussed briefly in respect to the Lorentz factor, time dilation, length contraction and Immanuel Kant’s concept of synthetic a priori.

Keywords: Lorentz factor, Time dilation, Length contraction, synthetic a priori


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CITATION: Abstracts & Proceedings of INTCESS 2019- 6th International Conference on Education and Social Sciences, 4-6 February 2019- Dubai, UAE

ISBN: 978-605-82433-5-4