I How meaningful is the notion of now here on Earth?

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The discussion centers on the relevance of the concept of "now" in the context of special relativity and everyday interactions. Participants question whether understanding special relativity impacts daily communication, such as knowing what a friend is doing in a different location. The consensus is that for practical purposes, asking someone directly is more meaningful than contemplating the implications of relativity. Ultimately, the notion of "now" is deemed less significant in day-to-day life. The thread concludes that special relativity is not necessary for everyday interactions.
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Is it meaningful to ask what say, my friend is doing in London when I am in New York?
So, not looking for anything over complicated. Just been picking up some special relativity.

How meaningful is the notion of now here on Earth? Is special relativity worth even considering for day to day interactions with others?
 
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EclogiteFacies said:
TL;DR Summary: Is it meaningful to ask what say, my friend is doing in London when I am in New York?
Do you have their phone number? Pick up your phone and ask them. That’s what “now” means in ordinary English.
Is special relativity worth even considering for day to day interactions with others?
No.

Thread closed.
 
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Moderator's note: Spin-off from another thread due to topic change. In the second link referenced, there is a claim about a physical interpretation of frame field. Consider a family of observers whose worldlines fill a region of spacetime. Each of them carries a clock and a set of mutually orthogonal rulers. Each observer points in the (timelike) direction defined by its worldline's tangent at any given event along it. What about the rulers each of them carries ? My interpretation: each...

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