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Talk:Theory of relativity (view source)
Revision as of 19:45, October 15, 2009
, 19:45, October 15, 2009→Quantum Field Theory/Changes to the Intro
: Relativity is a liberal's fantasy, and Obama even supposedly helped with a paper drawing liberal conclusions from it. Too bad it's all assumption and little more.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 13:35, 15 October 2009 (EDT)
: Relativity is a liberal's fantasy, and Obama even supposedly helped with a paper drawing liberal conclusions from it. Too bad it's all assumption and little more.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 13:35, 15 October 2009 (EDT)
Experiment has born relativity out time and time again. Michelson Morley, Ives-Stilwell, Pound-Rebka,Shapiro time delay, etc. The Tevatron has been confirming special relativity millions of times every second for years now.
Now, as to Newton- Newton made a famous statement about relying on hypothesis, that does not mean he didn't do it. I recommend his famous paper on prisms (http://www.newtonproject.sussex.ac.uk/). He advanced a particulate model of light, etc. Newton did make hypothesis, and his physics relied on it. Again, F=ma, the existence of inertial frames, etc. Quantum mechanics rests on highly mathematical postulates (the Von Neumann postulates). At least relativity's postulates are about physics, not mathematics.
Now, when you discuss relativity, you are conflating special and general. General relativity requires a great deal of mathematics, and it is general relativity that Eddington's famous quote was about. Special relativity is much easier. Changing time from an evolution parameter (as in Newton) to a coordinate (relativity) does not complicate things much. Single variable calculus and a good knowledge of algebra is enough mathematics to come to grips with the field. Quantum mechanics and Maxwell's equations require a solid knowledge of vector calc.
Lastly, a quick perusal of the nobel prizes awarded to work on the Standard Model/Field Theories since 1965- 1965,1967,1968,1972,1979,1980,1982,1984,1988,1990,1995,1999,2004,2008. Its not rare at all, a bit better than 1/3 of the prizes. Further, claiming something doesn't make it so- quantum field theories are the most precisely tested theories in all of science. g-2 of the electron is the most precise measurement mankind has made, and it matches the theoretical calculation to 10 significant figures. What more could you ask of in a theory? --[[User:WLink|WLink]] 15:45, 15 October 2009 (EDT)