Uniqueness of Simultaneity
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8397231 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Domenico Giulini (0000-0003-3123-7257, University of Freiburg, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2001 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 651-670 |
| Publication date | 2001-12-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-0882 • E-ISSN: 1464-3537 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/bjps/52.4.651 |
| OpenAlex | W1975907413 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 5 |
We consider the problem of uniqueness of certain simultaneity structures in flat spacetime. Absolute simultaneity is specifiled to be a non‐trivial equivalence relation which is invariant under the automorphism group Aut of spacetime. Aut is taken to be the identity‐component of either the inhomogeneous Galilei group or the inhomogeneous Lorentz group. Uniqueness of standard simultaneity in the first, and absence of any absolute simultaneity in the second case are demonstrated and related to certain group theoretic properties. Relative simultaneity with respect to an additional structure X on spacetime is specified to be a non‐trivial equivalence relation which is invariant under the subgroup in Aut that stabilises X. Uniqueness of standard Einstein simultaneity is proven in the Lorentzian case when X is an inertial frame. We end by discussing the relation to previous work of others.
Classical mechanics · Equivalence relation · Group (periodic table) · Inertial frame of reference · Invariant (physics) · Lorentz transformation · Mathematical analysis · Physics · Pure mathematics · Quantum mechanics · Simultaneity · Spacetime · Uniqueness · Advanced Differential Geometry Research · Geophysics and Sensor Technology · Mathematical Physics · Mathematics · Relativity and Gravitational Theory
| Citations per year | 0.1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2005 - 2006 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |