Philosophy Now Forum

Have a puzzle here. The speed of light in a perfect vacuum is about 300 million meters a second according to the scientists. Problem is that a perfect vacuum or empty space doesn't exist, that experiment wasn't done.
How do we know what the speed of light is then?

Here's a Wikipedia article:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum

PhilX

Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:20 pm Have a puzzle here. The speed of light in a perfect vacuum is about 300 million meters a second according to the scientists. Problem is that a perfect vacuum or empty space doesn't exist, that experiment wasn't done.
How do we know what the speed of light is then?

Here's a Wikipedia article:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum

PhilX

In a complete vaccuum, with only light existing, the light effectively would be measured only against itself as all speed is an observation of relation. The problem is that as the "only thing" existing in the vaccuum the light would exist ad-infinitum through itself and any measurement of speed would imply one portion of the light particle wave is faster than the other part, hence multiple speeds would occurs simultaneously.

lol

1st: The lack of vacuum in space is theoretical. That math says it, does not prove it.

2nd: "Only light in a vacuum" is not possible. Light always has a source. Even as a theory, it's pointless.

lolol

QuantumT wrote: ↑Fri Aug 24, 2018 8:19 pm 1st: The lack of vacuum in space is theoretical. That math says it, does not prove it.

2nd: "Only light in a vacuum" is not possible. Light always has a source. Even as a theory, it's pointless.

Still the scientists are talking about the speed of light in a perfect vacuum. If the vacuum is theoretical, then a nonvacuum would also be theoretical.

It's the science community who has the final word, but that word to me is on shaky grounds. Since I see light when I flip the switch or see sunlight, then it doesn't seem so theoretical to me.

PhilX