Reinterpreting the Special Theory of Relativity through Discrete Motion Theory

Albert Einstein stated that whilst contemplating the riddles that led him to conceive the Special Theory of Relativity (STR), he became convinced that “time was suspect”. Based on that impression, he gave us the prevailing formalism and interpretation of relativity theory. Given the multiple riddles of relativity theory itself, we are compelled to propose that not time but our prevailing model of motion is suspect: i. e. motion is discrete but we perceive and treat it as continuous; so, theories that treat it as continuous are in need of re-interpretation through the lens of discrete motion. In our model of discrete motion, we propose that all subluminal velocities are derivatives of two fundamental velocities – specifically, elements of the set S = c, 0, where c is the velocity of light. Discrete motion, therefore, occurs by ephemeral flight and ephemeral pause: during ephemeral flight, particle speed is c, and during ephemeral pause, it is zero. Among our major findings is that kinetic energy does not exist at speed c because the ephemeral pause – i. e. the interval in which kinetic energy operates – vanishes. Accordingly, application of the kinetic energy formula at speed c is misconceived and any conclusion drawn from it invalid. One such conclusion is the STR statement that mass-possessing particles cannot attain speed c. This finding shall therefore facilitate theory development hitherto hampered by the speed limit stipulated for matter in STR.