Considering that an Einstein clock can travel at a speed no greater than c, from the principle of relativity, a kinematic time dilation factor can be derived whose value cannot be greater than <mml:math display="inline"> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msqrt> </mml:math> . In fact, however, the kinematic time dilation factor γ can approach an infinite value. This discrepancy demonstrates that the derivation of the kinematic time dilation factor γ in Einstein's special relativity (SR) cannot be physically justified by the principle of relativity, and that it is not physically possible that the speed of light is constant in any frame of reference. The mathematical method of Einstein's SR, which I refer to as the “mathematical method of relativity,” allows the calculation of constant physical values from different quantities of any physical unit and is thus scientifically worthless. Accordingly, it is not surprising that it is possible to predict so-called general relativistic phenomena, e.g., the phenomena observed at the binary pulsar PSR B1913 + 16, just by applying Kepler's second law and simple quantum physical considerations [R. G. Ziefle, Phys. Essays 33, 99 (2020)]. A careful interpretation of interferometer experiments on Earth clearly shows that there is in fact no need for artificial time acceleration by length contraction. However, today's physicists seem to be lost in mathematics. The aim of this paper is to contribute to a physical theory of relativity that does not require mathematical tricks, such as time acceleration (length contraction), space-time curvature, and other mathematical tricks that follow from Einstein's mathematical methods and uphold the illusion that the belief in a constant speed of light c in any frame of reference is physically justified.
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