One of the most fundamental debates in physics is that of action-at-a-distance (actio-in-distans, far-action) vs. local motion (actio-in-contact, near-action). It is a topic that I have addressed in one way or another in several of my previous posts.
A thought here--maybe someone can set me straight.
Tom Van Flandern showed that planetary orbits would become unstable without an action-at-a-distance relationship with the sun. Now take that to the atomic level.
It is thought that electrons exist as standing waves around the nucleus, rather than particles, because any acceleration (i.e., following a curved orbit) would cause them to emit radiation, thus losing energy and falling into a death spiral. But under Weber's theory (even without his planetary model of the atom), that may not be the case because the electron would always be at a constant distance from the nucleus. But if the connection between the two must proceed as a sound or water wave through an ether, then any movement of the nucleus would induce instability into the orbit/wave of the electron, would it not? The stability of electron paths based on quantized energy levels seems to favor instant action at a distance over local action.
A very interesting post—thanks for this.
A thought here--maybe someone can set me straight.
Tom Van Flandern showed that planetary orbits would become unstable without an action-at-a-distance relationship with the sun. Now take that to the atomic level.
It is thought that electrons exist as standing waves around the nucleus, rather than particles, because any acceleration (i.e., following a curved orbit) would cause them to emit radiation, thus losing energy and falling into a death spiral. But under Weber's theory (even without his planetary model of the atom), that may not be the case because the electron would always be at a constant distance from the nucleus. But if the connection between the two must proceed as a sound or water wave through an ether, then any movement of the nucleus would induce instability into the orbit/wave of the electron, would it not? The stability of electron paths based on quantized energy levels seems to favor instant action at a distance over local action.