Is the speed of light an absolute limit? | Physicists Tim Maudlin and João Magueijo
234Physicists João Magueijo and Tim Maudlin disagree over the meaning of the speed of light and its importance in physics.
Should we abandon the idea that the light represents the universe's speed limit?
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Ever since Einstein's special theory of relativity in 1905, it has been a central pillar of science that the speed of light is an absolute fixed limit. But critics argue this is a mistaken assumption that prevents physics from making progress. They maintain the period of cosmic inflation that, in the standard picture of cosmology, followed the Big Bang has to take place at many orders of magnitude faster than the speed of light. Moreover, researchers argue that Einstein's general theory of relativity never prohibited faster-than-light travel in the first place.
Should we abandon the sacrosanct idea nothing can exceed the speed of light as a flawed assumption that derails physics? Should we be less attached to Einstein and more open to new and alternative theories? Or are these dangerous proposals that threaten to undermine the remarkable successes of science over the last century?
#theoreticalphysics #physics #cosmology #bigbang
João Magueijo is a Portugese cosmologist and Professor of theoretical physics at Imperial College, and a pioneer of varying speed of light theory.
Claudia de Rham is a prize winning theoretical cosmologist, known for her theory of massive gravity which is seen as an explanation for the acceleration of the universe and an alternative to dark energy.
Tim Maudlin is a leading professor of the philosophy of science at New York University who proposes that we should determine our metaphysics from physics.
Hosted by post-realist philosopher Hilary Lawson.
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00:00 Introduction
00:20 Is the speed of light an absolute limit?
00:37 Tim Maudlin on why we can't measure the speed of light
01:45 João Magueijo on his definition of speed
02:40 Do we need infinite energy to overtake the speed of light?
05:10 Overcoming our current paradigm
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