- #1
JDługosz
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I'm not a physicist and not a mathematician. I just want to understand things, and have read "advanced layman" books.
It's often touted that Noether's theorem shows that the uniformity of space (the same everywhere; no preferred origin) implies conservation of momentum. More properly, the fact that the laws of motion don't indicate any absolute position will give conservation of momentum.
However, it appears that reversing it, conservation of momentum implies that space is uniform, does not by itself imply that velocity is also not absolute.
Given that space "exists", I'm trying to crystallize the idea that the lack of special rules is what gives us the rules of motion that actually exist. The lack of special rules means there is no origin, and only certain types of natural motion is possible ("natural") without adding more to it. So, is there any reason why lack of a preferred velocity is just as bare-bones as lack of a preferred position?
Care to discuss philosophical reasons and beauty?
--John
It's often touted that Noether's theorem shows that the uniformity of space (the same everywhere; no preferred origin) implies conservation of momentum. More properly, the fact that the laws of motion don't indicate any absolute position will give conservation of momentum.
However, it appears that reversing it, conservation of momentum implies that space is uniform, does not by itself imply that velocity is also not absolute.
Given that space "exists", I'm trying to crystallize the idea that the lack of special rules is what gives us the rules of motion that actually exist. The lack of special rules means there is no origin, and only certain types of natural motion is possible ("natural") without adding more to it. So, is there any reason why lack of a preferred velocity is just as bare-bones as lack of a preferred position?
Care to discuss philosophical reasons and beauty?
--John