Natural Science Forum / Physics / Particle Physics / December 2003

The Paradox of Zeno
   
    The Paradox of Zeno is 2000 years old and its apparent ability to prove
that all motion is impossible was not resolved until the mathematical
techniques of Calculus became available, even though that technique is not
required. One form of the paradox describes the flight of an arrow which has
been shot at a target. The arrow is shot at a constant velocity, V, to a target
at a distance, L, and the time of flight is divided into intervals. In the
first interval, the arrow covers half of the distance to the target and, in
each succeeding interval of time, it covers half of the remaining distance.
Under the line of reasoning presented, the arrow never reaches the target
because, after each successive interval of time, one half of the distance to
the target that existed at the beginning of the interval remains.

    The author finds it incredible that this paradox has been taken seriously
by intelligent men for over two millennia and has not been recognized as a form
of trickery. If one accepts that in each successive interval of time the arrow
traveled half of the remaining distance to the target, he must also accept that
each of those successive intervals of time is half of the duration of the
interval which preceded it. As a result, under the Paradox of Zeno, not only
does the arrow never reach the target, the elapsed time of its flight never
reaches the time, T, when the arrow would reach the target.

    There is no paradox in the Paradox of the Zeno. As long as one allows a
cheap trick to fool him into considering only those events which occur prior to
the arrival of the arrow at the target, he most certainly will believe that the
arrow never reaches the target. The reality is that THE PASSAGE OF TIME DOES
NOT SLOW AS THE ARROW APPROACHES THE TARGET AND THE ARROW REACHES THE TARGET
WHEN IT SHOULD.

    To find the Paradox of Zeno be seriously considered as a topic which
requires a level of mathematics beyond simple arithmetic for its resolution
should lead a reasonable man to have serious doubts as to the mental capacity
of the individuals who are engaged in the teaching process.

    The source material for this posting may be found in "Gravity" (1987),
"The Einstein Hoax" (1997), and "Corrections to Residual Errors in Special
Relativity (1999) located at http://www.members.aol.com/einsteinhoax/site.htm .
EVERYTHING WHICH WE ACCEPT AS TRUE MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH EVERYTHING ELSE WE
HAVE ACCEPTED AS TRUE, IT MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH ALL OBSERVATIONS, AND IT MUST
BE MATHEMATICALLY VIABLE. PRESENT TEACHINGS DO NOT ALWAYS MEET THIS
REQUIREMENT. THE WORLD IS ENTITLED TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF WORKMANSHIP FROM
THOSE IT HAS GRANTED WORLD CLASS STATUS.

    Please make any response via E-mail as Newsgroups are not monitored on a
regular basis. Objective responses will be treated with the same courtesy as
they are presented. To prevent the wastage of time on both of our parts, please
do not raise objections that are not related to material that you have read at
the Website. This posting is merely a summary.

    For a response send E-Mail to einsteinhoax@aol.com

    The material at the Website has been posted continuously for over 5 years.
In that time THERE HAVE BEEN NO OBJECTIVE REBUTTALS OF ANY OF THE MATERIAL
PRESENTED. There have only been hand waving arguments by individuals who have
mindlessly accepted the prevailing wisdom without questioning it. If anyone
provides a significant rebuttal that cannot be objectively answered, the
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