many examples argue over how and when the "effects" of SR are applicable...ie:
does it hold in an accelerating or non-accelerating frame?
does the turnaround at the middle of the twin's journey collapse the state so the relativistic effects aren't felt?..etc
it doesn't matter
since the whole operation revolves around light and it's transmission...all frames (supposed emitters/receivers) in the exercise would be viable.
in fact they will all express whatever "time dilation" and/or transmission delay effects that apply between them.....regardless of whether they have the "right stuff" for SR or not.
and remember...these are exactly the same "special effects" that you're only supposed to be able to get with SR.
ie: the data that any observee sends to any observer is still a frequency dilated signal (time dilated when moving away...time condensed when approaching)...and is also delayed by the travel time/distance (giving the age difference effect).
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achieving the requisites according to SR (so that it's the "real time dilation")...is then really an exercise in forming a sub-group from a larger group, who all express the same function.
and there can be nothing special about a function if all members of the group express it by default!
so the only thing SR seems to do in this "selection" part of the scenario...is to apply some arbitrary rules to ignore a portion of the group.
ie: "this particular observee hasn't got the right stuff for SR...so i'll ignore his frequency dilated and delayed signal..and say it doesn't exist".
"this part of the observee's activities hasn't got the right stuff for SR...so i'll ignore just this bit..and say it doesn't exist".
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so...to repeat.
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all observees in the exercise will exhibit whatever "transmission delay" and "doppler shift" effects applicable...due to their relative distances and velocities.
all observers will see these effects....resulting in "received data" that seemingly exhibits an age difference (due to distance)....and fast or slow time (due to relative velocity).
and all observees and observers will do this naturally in spite of SR.
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but "transmission delayed" and "doppler shifted" light, does not a paradox make...when you are aware of the facts.
and so this is where SR is needed to again apply that "special" twist on the exercise.
the great enablement that it once again brings is the ability to forget those very facts.
so that you may believe:
1) that the age seen by the observer is the true age of the observee...(by forgetting that the message took years to travel to him).
2) that the slowed time speed seen...is the real time speed the observee is experiencing...(by forgetting that the relative velocity doppler shifts the signal).
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Q) so how do we really enable this SR approved function?
A) via the reference frame.
data held by a reference frame (see observer) needs no reality check regarding it's meaning or applicability.
it can be punched straight into spacetime theory and damn the consequences.
in fact (if it's got the right stuff for SR) it must be imposed upon the universe.
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thus the product? (and only for those very special cases where SR approves):
"seeing is believing" (because with an SR reference frame...you bypass all reality checks!)
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so, in conclusion:
the very special quality that SR brings to this exercise is ignorance...so that an arbitrarily selected sub-group of optical illusions may be imposed upon the universe as facts.
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