How Does an Electron Tell the Time?

Abstract

We examine a model of a digital clock to clarify the origin of the spacetime approach in special relativity. Specifically, we consider a two photon clock and assemble a statistical mechanics of such clocks to see how Minkowski space relates to local finite frequency clock behaviour. The result suggests that finite frequency clocks measure spacetime area and it is this feature that provides a simple mechanism behind Minkowski space on large scales. The same feature appears to implicate quantum mechanics on small scales.