What Is Galilean Electrodynamics and Its Controversies?

AI Thread Summary
Galilean Electrodynamics is a controversial subject that challenges Einstein's theory of relativity, with its origins linked to author Petr Beckman. The journal associated with it is considered pseudo-scientific, lacking empirical support and credibility in the scientific community. While there are theoretical formulations of electrodynamics that are Galilean invariant, they serve more as pedagogical tools rather than accurate representations of reality. The discussion raises questions about the claims of racism associated with the theory, which remain unexplained. Overall, Galilean Electrodynamics is viewed as a fringe theory with limited scientific validity.
Zarlucicil
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Galilean Electrodynamics?!?

I finished reading The History of Pi by Petr Beckman, thoroughly enjoyed it and wondered what other works/activities the author was involved with. Soo I eventually came across this thing called "Galilean Electrodynamics" (which Beckman apparently had a hand in starting) and was completely confused as I couldn't really find any real information on it. I know that the subscribers to Galilean Electrodynamics challenge Einstein's Relativity but what else encompasses this subject?!?

The wikipedia article was deleted some time ago and I've seen claims that the theory (if that is what Galilean Electrodynamics is) is somehow racist and completely crass. Is it some kind of pseudo science? Any information would be interesting...Thanks!

-Zarlucicil-
 
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Zarlucicil said:
Is it some kind of pseudo science?

Yes.
 


Hehe, thanks! But WHY is it considered to be a pseudo science?
 


I don't think the forum would be well served by a detailed discussion of the ins and outs of one particular piece of crackpottery.
 


I just want to point out that the above "Galilean Electrodynamics (Beckman)" is the title of a journal.

This, however, should be distinguished from
a Galilean-invariant formulation of Electrodynamics (i.e. what electrodynamics might have looked like if the world were Galilean invariant [rather than Lorentz-invariant]). While such a formulation doesn't describe the real world, it has pedagogical interest (for the teaching physics) and theoretical interest (for the structure of relativistic theories):
e.g.,
Le Bellac & Levy-Leblond (Nuovo Cimento A, 14 , 217-233 (1973) ) "Galilean Electromagnetism",
Jammer & Stachel (AJP, 1980) "If Maxwell had worked between Ampère and Faraday: An historical fable with a pedagogical moral" http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.12239,
de Montigny & Rousseaux (AJP, 2007) "On some applications of Galilean electrodynamics of moving bodies" http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.2772289
(I have an active research interest in this... in particular, with regard to "classical limits")
None of what is in this paragraph should be confused with the journal referred to in the first post of this thread.
 
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I would be very interested to know how a theory of electrodynamics could possibly be racist.
 
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