The Distance between Two Bodies

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Scientific Paper
Title The Distance between Two Bodies
Author(s) Francisco J M?ller
Keywords Distance
Published 1997
Journal None

Abstract

A comparative analysis is made of the different answers that can be given to the question; what is the distance between two bodies? The physico-mathematical concept emphasizes measurement, extension, geometry and numbers. The physico-philosophical concept emphasizes the interposed bodies (ponderable or ethereal) and the notion of interaction. Applications are made to the theories of "action at a distance" in Classical physics and to the presumptions (normally ignored) between relatively moving frames in Relativity theory. A difficulty is found in the latter case leading either to the non-uniqueness of the distance between two bodies or to the recovery of absolute simultaneity as a prerequisite for relativistic thought (what Einstein called the "dualistic sin").