Page:Eddington A. Space Time and Gravitation. 1920.djvu/58

42 on choosing a frame of reference we find that a centrifugal force is detected, we can at once infer that the frame of reference is a "wrong" one; rotating and non-rotating frames can be distinguished by experiment, and rotation is thus strictly absolute. But this assumes that the observed effects of centrifugal force cannot be produced in any other way than by rotation of the observer's frame of reference. If once it is admitted that centrifugal force may not be completely distinguishable by experiment from another kind of force—gravitation—perceived even by Newton's unaccelerated observer, the argument ceases to apply. We can never determine exactly how much of the observed field of force is centrifugal force and how much is gravitation; and we cannot find experimentally any definite standard that is to be considered absolutely non-rotating.

The question then, whether there exists a distinction between "right" frames of reference and "wrong" frames, turns on whether the use of a "wrong" frame produces effects experimentally distinguishable from any natural effects which can be perceived when a "right" frame is used. If there is no such difference, all frames may be regarded as on the same footing and equally right. In that case we can have a complete relativity of natural phenomena. Since the effect of departing from Newton's standard frame is the introduction of a field of force, this generalised relativity theory must be largely occupied with the nature of fields of force.

The precise meaning of the statement that all frames of reference are on the same footing is rather difficult to grasp. We believe that there are absolute things in the world—not only matter, but certain characteristics in empty space or aether. In the atmosphere a frame of reference which moves with the air is differentiated from other frames moving in a different manner; this is because, besides discharging the normal functions of a frame of reference, the air-frame embodies certain of the absolute properties of the matter existing in the region. Similarly, if in empty space we choose a frame of reference which more or less follows the lines of the absolute structure in the region, the frame will usurp some of the absolute qualities of that structure. What we mean by the equivalence of all frames is that they are not differentiated by any qualities