Relationalism and the speed of light: Are we in a relationship?

          @misc{ scivideos_PIRSA:17050046,
            doi = {10.48660/17050046},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/17050046},
            author = {Bonder, Yuri},
            keywords = {Quantum Gravity},
            language = {en},
            title = {Relationalism and the speed of light: Are we in a relationship?},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics},
            year = {2017},
            month = {may},
            note = {PIRSA:17050046 see, \url{https://scivideos.org/pirsa/17050046}}
          }
          

Abstract

Most practical studies in Shape Dynamics involve an N-body Newtonian interaction which is described by a homogeneous potential. This property allows one to proof several interesting features like the emergence of an arrow of time. However, more generic interactions are not described by these kind of potentials and introduce additional dimensionful coupling constants. Thus, it is an open question whether more generic interactions can be written in a fully relational manner. By studying the concrete example of the gravitational Weber interaction which is, in a sense, a more realistic theory of gravity, we show that it is possible translate non-Newtonian interactions, which have inhomogeneous potentials and additional coupling constants, into a relational language. This opens the door to study other interactions and may shed light into the relationalization of gravity as described by general relativity.