Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the paper "Instantaneous Interaction between Charged Particles" by Wolfgang Engelhardt, focusing on its peer review process, its adherence to established physical theories, and the validity of its claims regarding electromagnetic interactions. Participants express concerns about the paper's implications for Special Relativity and its overall credibility.
Discussion Character
- Debate/contested
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- Some participants question the peer review process of the paper and its suitability for discussion within the forum.
- Concerns are raised about the paper's exposition, particularly the assertion that Maxwell's equations and conservation of energy imply instantaneous force propagation, which is viewed as likely incorrect.
- One participant notes that the equations presented in the paper do not conform to standard wave equations, suggesting a misinterpretation of electromagnetic wave propagation.
- Another participant highlights that the examples provided in the paper do not substantiate the author's claims, emphasizing that the instantaneous treatment of the field is not due to actual instantaneous propagation but rather due to negligible differences in specific scenarios.
- A later reply points out that the paper cites another work as experimental evidence, which itself has not been published, raising further doubts about the reliability of the claims made in Engelhardt's paper.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants generally express skepticism about the paper's validity and its implications for established physics, indicating a lack of consensus on its claims and the appropriateness of its publication.
Contextual Notes
Participants note that the paper's claims may depend on specific interpretations of electromagnetic theory and the definitions of terms used, which remain unresolved in the discussion.