Infinite Speed of Light

Question

I recently watched a video that stated that Newtonian Mechanics assumed an infinite speed of light. That same video, "PBS Space Time: The Speed of Light is Not About Light", stated that if the speed of light had no bound, then space, time, and matter would essentially not even exist. Can someone explain to me why? Is this an accurate claim?

Answer 1

If the speed of light had been infinfinite you could see every galaxy . And every planet. You'd able to see the end of the universe(if there is an end) and so speed of causality would be infinite . So no distinction between past, future, present would be seen . Then time nedded for light to go to any place should be zero. And matter would have infinite energy for which matter shouldn't exist . So all the events would happen at the same time . There wouldn't be existense of black holes . And space interval couldn't be measured by light . So space indeed doesnt exist. And another case is that gravity can go faster than speed of light so it wouldn't work . Space or time anyway wouldn't be created.(although its a dillemma that gravity works as other fundamental forces ie exchange of gravitons). And assuming you can't go at infinite speed no space contraction or time dilation would be seen just put c=$\infty$ to get those . Nothing should move . As they have infinite energy nobody can increase their energy. Altogether space or time shouldn't exist.

Answer 2

If the speed of light was to be infinite,every solid,liquid and gas in the universe would instantaneously turn into super heated plasma soup.If String theory is correct,this would probably cause a tear in the fabric of space-time and could "open up" the universe,exposing it to other universes.Since light has infinite speed,the past and future get merged into the present.Events cannot be distinguished from another.Finally,it will be impossible to determine the location of an object,as light will be bombarding the receiver from every possible direction.Everything will be everywhere .

It's like trying to find your way out of a pitch black ocean,while wearing a scuba diving suit, without a torch.

Answer 3

Mathematical analysis using Maxwell’s equations of an oscillating charge shows that light is nearly instantaneous when it is created and only reduces to the speed of light at infinite distance from the source. So light is never a constant. Since Special Relativity is based on the assumption that light speed is a constant, it is wrong. Time and space are not flexible and only appear flexible. For more information google search William Walker Superluminal and Relativity.

A simlar anylysis using General relativity of a an oscillating mass shows that the speed the the gravity wave is also nearly infinite near the source and reduces to the speed of light only infinitely far from the source. In the late 1700s Simone Laplace analyzed the stability of the orbits of the planets and concluded that the speed of gravity is nearly infinite. This is because we are in the nearfield of the Suns gravity. If Gravity were not nearly infinite, then the time delay would cause a component of gravity tangential to the orbits of the planets, that would cause them to slow down, and spiral away due to conservation of angular momentum. From the observed time of stability one can conclude the speed of gravity is nearly infinite.

Answer 4

I was thinking of this also when I was reading the book "Reality is not what it seems" and I realized that if the speed of light were infinite, the universe would expand to infinity instantly after the big bang so that the universe would just "evaporate" right away instead of diffusing slowly.

Realistic mass increase formula also supports this. Because the mass wouldn't increase by the speed as in Newtonian physics. So, even the mass that might have formed would still expand with an infinite speed so that it would be teared apart instantly.

It is weird to realize something when you have the opportunity to think about it much later.

If it is not correct, I will be happy to be corrected. This is the reason I am writing this here.