The Meaning of Space and Time in Special Relativity

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There may be other possible laws of physics and Hamiltonians where position and momentum are on an equal footing.
Special relativity suggests that space and time are on an equal footing in a four-dimensional spacetime.
Space and time in relativity do not have objective reality and are not absolute.
In Newtonian mechanics, space and time are separate entities, but in relativity, they are unified in spacetime.
There is no absolute consensus on how to divide spacetime into space and time due to the lack of objective reality.

Welcome to the July 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreons, whittle them down to a more manageable number -- based primarily on whether I have anything interesting to say about them, not whether the questions themselves are good -- and sometimes group them together if they are about a similar topic.

We're experimenting with a new benefit for Patreon supporters: short video (or audio-only) reflections by me on the podcast that just happened. If you've been wondering whether to join up, this could be the time.

Blog post with questions and transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2023/07/03/ama-july-2023/

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