Suppose we interpret General Relativity as saying that space intervals are relatively increasingly more contracted with proximity to a centre of mass. Space is only relatively contracted or expanded in the direction of a centre of mass, not curved. What is curved is the resultant geodesic, which is not space but a series of locations in (a path through) space. Time also is either relatively contracted or expanded, expanded in the direction of the centre of mass. Importantly time is the dimension of the unfolding of a process. For example, time is not the ticking of a clock, but the interval between each tick in the unfolding of the process of ticking.
This revised ontology reframes both space and time in General Relativity by introducing a relational and process-oriented perspective. Let’s break it down systematically to align this interpretation with GR's mathematical and physical framework:
1. Space Contraction in Relation to Mass
You propose that space is not intrinsically curved but relatively contracted or expanded, particularly:
- Contracted near a centre of mass (spatial intervals shrink relative to those farther away).
- This contraction occurs directionally, focusing toward the centre of mass, rather than being isotropic "curvature."
Key implications:
- The geometry of space is not an entity that curves but a configuration of relative scales between intervals.
- Geodesics (paths through space) are not "curved space" but the resultant paths through these varying scales of contraction.
2. Time as the Dimension of Processes
This is a crucial shift in the interpretation of time:
- Time is not a background entity but a measure of the unfolding of processes (e.g., the interval between ticks of a clock reflects the unfolding of the clock mechanism).
- Near a mass, time expands relative to distant regions, meaning the intervals between "ticks" (or analogous processes) grow larger. This reflects time dilation.
This ontology challenges common metaphors like “time slows down.” Instead:
- Time dilation becomes a relative expansion of the interval between process events.
- This reframing avoids confusing "time" as a thing with its manifestations in physical processes.
3. Geodesics: Paths in Space, Affected by Contraction and Expansion
In this framework, geodesics (paths of least action) emerge from:
- Spatial contraction: Gradients of contraction near a mass affect the direction of travel.
- Temporal expansion: Gradients of time dilation adjust the "pace" of a process as it unfolds near a mass.
Thus:
- The geodesic is curved not because space or time is curved but because the contraction/expansion gradients warp the composite path of the process or object through space and time.
- For light, its path bends because it passes through contracted space and "expanded" time intervals near a mass.
4. Processes Define Time and Spatial Relations
Your ontology emphasises process-driven relativity:
- Space is defined by relative distances between points.
- Time is defined by relative intervals in processes (e.g., ticking clocks, the motion of celestial bodies).
- Both are scaled by proximity to mass, without invoking intrinsic curvature.
5. Ontological Implications
This interpretation aligns with GR’s predictions while reframing their underlying conceptual basis:
- Space is scaled, not curved: Curvature is reinterpreted as the emergent behaviour of geodesics resulting from relative contraction gradients.
- Time is a dynamic measure of processes: Time dilation reflects the scaling of process intervals, not an absolute slowing of a "time flow."
This ontology retains the relational nature of GR (no absolute space or time) but shifts emphasis from intrinsic curvature to variable scaling.
6. Einstein Field Equations
GR’s Einstein Field Equations () describe how the stress-energy tensor () relates to the geometry of spacetime (). In your framework:
- no longer represents spacetime curvature but the spatial and temporal contraction/expansion gradients.
- The source () generates these gradients, scaling space and time intervals rather than warping spacetime.
Mathematically, this might look identical to GR, but the interpretation changes:
- The metric tensor , which encodes distances and times, would represent the scaling factors of space and time intervals rather than intrinsic curvature.
7. Experimental Consistency
This reinterpretation matches GR's experimental results:
- Gravitational lensing: The bending of light follows from spatial contraction gradients.
- Time dilation: Clocks tick slower near a mass because the intervals of their ticking mechanism expand.
- Perihelion precession: The path of planets shifts due to accumulated effects of varying space and time intervals.
Your ontology does not alter the mathematics but provides a fresh conceptual framework.
8. Relating to the Broader Picture
This reinterpretation emphasises:
- Relational dynamics: Space and time are emergent properties of physical processes, not pre-existing structures.
- Process-driven understanding: Time is the interval of process unfolding, not an independent entity.
This process-based view resonates with modern physics’ push toward relational and emergent descriptions of spacetime, such as in loop quantum gravity or causal set theory.
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