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The Preferred System of Reference Reloaded

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Questioning the Foundations of Physics

Part of the book series: The Frontiers Collection ((FRONTCOLL))

Abstract

According to Karl Popper assumptions are statements used to construct theories. During the construction of a theory whether the assumptions are either true or false turn out to be irrelevant in view of the fact that, actually, they gain their scientific value when the deductions derived from them suffice to explain observations. Science is enriched with assumptions of all kinds and physics is not exempted. Beyond doubt, some assumptions have been greatly beneficial for physics. They are usually embraced based on the kind of problems expected to be solved in a given moment of a science. Some have been quite useful and some others are discarded in a given moment and reconsidered in a later one. An illustrative example of this is the conception of light; first, according to Newton, as particle; then, according to Huygens, as wave; and then, again, according to Einstein, as particle. Likewise, once, according to Newton, a preferred system of reference (PSR) was assumed; then, according to Einstein, rejected; and then, here the assumption is reconsidered. It is claimed that the assumption that there is no PSR can be fundamentally wrong.

FQXi 2012 Contest, Which of our basic physical assumptions are wrong?

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Research Program and CONACYT Mexico under grant 186142. The author is thankful to the University of Saskatchewan, Prof. Alex Moewes for his support in this project, and the FQXi organizers of the 2012 contest for opening the doors to new and fresh ideas fundamental for the progress of physics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada

    Israel Perez

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  1. Israel Perez
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Correspondence to Israel Perez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA

    Anthony Aguirre

  2. Foundational Questions Institute, New York, New York, USA

    Brendan Foster

  3. Foundational Questions Institute, New York, New York, USA

    Zeeya Merali

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Perez, I. (2015). The Preferred System of Reference Reloaded. In: Aguirre, A., Foster, B., Merali, Z. (eds) Questioning the Foundations of Physics. The Frontiers Collection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13045-3_5

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