Article
Version 2
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Local Versus Global Time in Early Relativity Theory
Version 1
: Received: 9 June 2024 / Approved: 10 June 2024 / Online: 11 June 2024 (08:41:43 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 9 July 2024 / Approved: 10 July 2024 / Online: 10 July 2024 (15:50:11 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 9 July 2024 / Approved: 10 July 2024 / Online: 10 July 2024 (15:50:11 CEST)
How to cite: DIEKS, D. Local Versus Global Time in Early Relativity Theory. Preprints 2024, 2024060624. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0624.v2 DIEKS, D. Local Versus Global Time in Early Relativity Theory. Preprints 2024, 2024060624. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0624.v2
Abstract
.In his groundbreaking 1905 paper on special relativity, Einstein distinguished between local and global time in inertial systems, introducing his famous definition of distant simultaneity to give physical content to the notion of global time. Over the following decade, Einstein attempted to generalize this analysis of relativistic time to include accelerated frames of reference, which, according to the principle of equivalence, should also account for time in the presence of gravity. Characteristically, Einstein's methodology during this period focused on simple, intuitively accessible physical situations, exhibiting a high degree of symmetry. However, in the final general theory of relativity, the a priori existence of such global symmetries cannot be assumed. Despite this, Einstein repeated some of his early reasoning patterns even in his 1916 review paper on general relativity and in later writings. Modern commentators have criticized these arguments as confused, invalid, and inconsistent. Here, we defend Einstein in the specific context of his use of global time and his derivations of the gravitational redshift formula. We argue that a detailed examination of Einstein's early work clarifies his later reasoning and demonstrates its consistency and validity.
Keywords
Time and gravity; Coordinate time and proper time; Gravitational redshift; Principle of Equivalence
Subject
Physical Sciences, Theoretical Physics
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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