Why in the world would Einstein suggest....

1. What is your point here?
2. Who is 'Einstien'? He sounds vaguely Baltic or Swedish.

Dale's friend, Marty, would probably ask that.

http://able2know.org/topic/263988-1

Contrex, thanks for the tip, but, truth be told, I recognized the typographical error myself after reading what I posted. I have added a couple of questions to my original post, which should explain the "point."

Butryfly, I looked at the link you posted, but, out of context, it didn't make much sense to me. Are you suggesting that this is not a question that should be asked?

Actually Lay, a stationary ref notwithstanding, there might be an "average" speed of zero with respect to the rest of the Universe so as far as we know we might be proceeding westward at a rate of say, 60 mph. Thus when his train reaches this velocity but in an eastward direction, he has come to a standstill

Al himself knows the guy on the train is the one moving, and uses that knowledge to explain why a guy who doesn't think he's moving would have a false impression about the true state of affairs.

Why does he insist that the train passenger is an absolute fool, and then construct a whole theory around that fool's mistakes?

I don't get it.

Well, Dale, that could be. but I don't see how it's relevant to my question. The question was about which one (between the earth and the train) is moving with respect to the other. Whether they are moving with respect to, for example, the Sun, doesn't enter into the question.

If the railway company wants to move a 500 ton train to Chicago from (say) New York, they can do the math and see how much energy they need to use to do this, but if they need to keep the train still and move the world around so that Chicago comes to the train, and New York recedes into the distance, surely, the world being so big and heavy, they'd need a much more powerful locomotive, and the ticket would have to be much more expensive. Also, wouldn't any train coming the other way mess things up? And what about planes? They can only roll the world around while they are taking off? Explain that. Layman?

"Al" doesn't insist on any such thing.

Actually though, Lay, it doesn't. I had been presuming we're off in some corner of the Universe where everything, us and the sun and moon etc, are moving westward at 60 mph

The whole point of relativity is that the question of which one is moving with respect to the other is meaningless. They're moving relative to one another

Theoretically, and I'm not sure I quite agree, an observer moving at 0.99999999……9999999 the speed of light is justified in considering himself stationary with all the rest of the Universe rushing past him

What does 'westward' mean in this context?

" Theoretically, and I'm not sure I quite agree, an observer moving at 0.99999999……9999999 the speed of light is justified in considering himself stationary with all the rest of the Universe rushing past him." Dale}

(I don't know how to use the quote function).

Right, who would agree?

Suppose we put a guy on a ship loaded with fuel and accelerate him constantly for months on end, until he reaches .9999c. All that him he is seeing the earth recede into the distance as he accelerates. Then, finally, he stops accelerating, but keeps moving away from the earth at great speed.

What fool would then say that the earth moving away from him while he remains motionless?

"The whole point of relativity is that the question of which one is moving with respect to the other is meaningless. They're moving relative to one another."

The "whole point" is that something meaningful has no meaning?

Go figure, eh?

If I am misquoted by someone speaking alone inside a soundproof closet, does that mean I never said anything at all?

With respect Con to the imaginary stationary ref. However I should add that the observation is made August 4 2026 at 3 pm, in Chicago

"Explain that. Layman?? (Contrex)

You're making my point for me, aren't you, Contrex? I don't understand what you think needs to be explained.

Click on "Open BBCode Editor," highlight phrase, then click on "Quote"

The fanatical relativist

The fanatical relativist

""Al" doesn't insist on any such thing."

He doesn't? Isn't it a requirement in SRT that every party in any given frame of reference MUST assume that he's motionless?

Not say he doesn't know, or that maybe both are moving, or anything of the sort.

If a guy is riding his motorcycle at a uniform speed, then he MUIST assume he is motionless for the theory to work out. Likewise, guy sitting on his couch watching you pass by on your motorcycle MUST assume that HE (not you) is motionless.

Every SRT calculation has a "preferred" frame of reference. It's always the one YOU are in (unless you're accelerating).

"Click on "Open BBCode Editor," highlight phrase, then click on "Quote"

Thanks, Dale, but I must be overlooking the place where "open bbcode editor" is located so that I can click on it.