Mach's principle for electric fields

AI Thread Summary
The discussion explores the concept of a Mach's principle analogous to electric fields, questioning whether the collective influence of all charged particles in the universe affects individual particles in a way that seems intrinsic to them. It acknowledges the complexities and potential pitfalls of drawing parallels between gravity and electromagnetism. The conversation hints at a possible connection to quantum field theory (QFT) but does not reach a definitive conclusion. Participants are encouraged to consider the implications of such a principle on our understanding of electric fields. The inquiry remains open-ended, inviting further exploration of the topic.
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"Mach's principle" for electric fields

I know it's terrible to draw conclusions from similarities, and gravity and electromagnetism have a particularly bad wrap for this. I made this post recently:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2841591&postcount=29

And it got me wondering if there's a sort of Mach's principle for electric fields... Of course, not necissarily based on inertia of the particle.

But that the global effect of all the charged particles in the universe have an effect on each individual particle that appears intrinsic to the particle.

Or is this a subject of QFT?
 
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