Is speed of light relative to "eather" flow?

Austin0

Just a point of clarification. There is an obvious distinction between observable universe and total universe. But if we assume global (total universe) isotropy and homogeneity it seems to me that tensor33's unqualified statement above, is not only valid as it stands but is a logical necessity. IMHO
I.e. Any point must be considered the center of the total universe.
What do you think?

Dickfore

What's this?

phinds

Yes, if the universe is infinite in extent. My own belief is that it likely is, but I figure my personal belief with no facts to back it up is worthless, and I don't have any. Since the topology of the universe is unknown, I'm hesitant to say that EVERYWHERE is the center although it may well be.

If the universe is finite but unbounded, I don't know enough about possible topologies to understand whether the statement would always hold or not.

Austin0

Yeah me too as far as lacking in facts or any knowledge of whats really out there.
I apologize if I projected any unwarranted certainty of the reality in this regard.

I did not mean to imply that the statement was necessarily true in reality. Only that based on our current models and theories it was a logical consequence without any theoretical reason for denying it.
Not even that I particularly believe it. I think that it is not only you and I lacking in factual basis for prediction but it is the case for all theoretical speculation at this point regarding the topology and nature of the universe as a whole or even within our observable slice.
We seem to be stuck with using creative imagination and logic in seeking answers to many questions IMO

phinds

I agree w/ you in general, with the strong exception that I completely DISagree regarding the observable universe, which is well known to be flat to within our ability to measure it.

Personally I find it REALLY unlikely that out of all the possible values of curvature that the observable universe could take, it is flat to within our ability to measure it but NOT actually totally flat. That is, I'll be surprized should it turn out that the observable universe is not flat, and of course that has a huge ramification because if the OU is exactly flat, then so is the total universe (well ... there IS some argument about that conclusion but I'm dubious about the arguments).