A pdf file that shows how to derive the Lorentz tranformation using the postulates of Einstein's theory of special relativity Even though the Lorentz transformation existed before Einstein had derived it from postulates, Einstein recognized fundamental aspects of spacetime that his colleagues didn't. Einstein's colleagues formulated the Lorentz transformation to make Maxwell's equations of electromagnetics invariant when the reference frame was not the stationary aether that they thought existed. Einstein approached the issue from another perspective and derived the Lorentz transformation from his two postulates. This obviated the need to work backwards to make Maxwell's equations invariant and obviated the need to deal with a supposed aether. pdf download: http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9783319011066-c2.pdf From the pdf file: "The fact that the Lorentz transformation can be derived from the two postulates of Special Relativity is conceptually important: it means that these two postulates constitute the physical explanation of the mathematical transformation and that this transformation should not be assumed in place of the two postulates, as Poincaré seem to have intended. While Poincaré, Lorentz, and FitzGerald stopped at the transformation (which is an important ingredient of Special Relativity and unveils the mixing of space and time of the 4-dimensional world view), they tried to explain it with an ether and with length contraction. It was Einstein’s genius which reduced the physical explanation of the transformation to two simple and general postulates and led to a re-examination of the concepts of space and time, developing the full theory which was missed by other researchers."
When I learned about Special Relativity at university, I was taken by the concept of time dilation. I thought my Dad would be interested so I explained it to him. I was shocked that he flat out refused to believe me - I think he thought I'd got it out of science fiction book. No amount of explanation that this was about as solid a theory as possible and had been tested experimentally would shift his view. He wasn't impressed that you have to take into account the slowing down of time when you calculate the trajectories of fast moving electrons in magnetic fields. That was the point I realised most people don't really understand the scientific method and trust their own intuition and long held misconceptions more than the most reliable knowledge available to us about the universe. It would be boring world if we all agreed on everything but rejecting fundamental well-established science because it doesn't fit your prejudices is crazy.
I just think it's preposterous to come to Hipforums, littered with pornography, basically, and start talking to people about Poincare like you really thought this was the place to come to find Dr. Seuss or whoever the fuck you're looking for.
That is kind of funny.....as I am guilty of the same thing...lost in space....and I believe there are others, too, here.....that don't come to this forum for the pornography...but for real, intelligent conversations......It is those conversations like this thread that keep me coming here. Call me lost in space as well....lol
What really blew my mind about SR was how Einstein solved a conundrum about light - previously it was thought there must be an ether everywhere that light was travelling in. The trouble was it was known that the speed of light was always the same regardless of the speed of the observer which appeared nonsensical. His genius was to realise that things shrink when they move fast which ensures light always appears to have the same speed to every observer. As the OP says he didn't do this in a vacuum (sorry for the pun) as the maths of Lorentz contractions was already known. Incredibly, Einstein did four great pieces of work including SR in a very short space of time. He got his Nobel prize for one of the others, the photoelectric effect one of the building blocks of early quantum theory. To us he appears to be a genius but he was fortunate to be around at a critical point in the history of Physics when there was momentous stuff waiting to be discovered. Also, amazing to me was that he never did an experiment - he made his discoveries in his mind. It is a big mistake to think anyone interested in this kind of stuff isn't also interested in carnal matters - it's just they have broader horizons. It's certainly nothing for Neonspectraltoast to get his knickers in a twist about. After all, Einstein himself certainly didn't live like a monk.
