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Re: Centrifugal force



John,
Why do I ask? This could go in many directions, each leading to a useful
discussion. Let me go in perhaps the most obvious direction:

This question about the reality/fictitiousness of
centrifugal/gravitational forces is a question concerning the conceptual
interpretation of phenomena; there is no dispute about experimental
outcomes. Unless one holds to an absolute truth in such conceptual
matters, such questions have useful meaning only within the context of a
(spoken or implied) model and its concepts of "force", "time", "space",
etc.

Newtonian mechanics - the views of Isaac Newton and logical implications
therefrom - constitute one such model. This is the very useful model
which I teach in "Intro to Mechanics", pointing out its assumptions,
successes, limitations, etc. This is why I ask. In our discussions of
teaching intro mechanics I assume such questions to be asked within the
context of Newtonian Mechanics. In any case the context should be
specified.

Note that to ask such questions without specifying (at least implying)
the context of a given model, is to invite the inference that one is
asking for an absolute, model-independent truth; there is none in such
conceptual matters.

-Bob

Bob Sciamanda trebor@velocity.net
Dept of Physics
Edinboro Univ of PA http://www.velocity.net/~trebor
Edinboro, PA (814)838-7185

-----Original Message-----
From: John Mallinckrodt <ajmallinckro@CSUPOMONA.EDU>
To: phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu <phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu>
Cc: AJMALLINCKRO@CSUPOMONA.EDU <AJMALLINCKRO@CSUPOMONA.EDU>
Date: Monday, May 04, 1998 12:18 AM
Subject: Re: Centrifugal force


On Sun, 3 May 1998, Bob Sciamanda wrote:

What do you think Isaac Newton's views on the reality/fictitiousness
of
inertial/gravitational forces were?

Despite Newton's distaste for the apparent ability of gravity to act at
a
distance, I believe he viewed it as more real than centrifugal force.

Why do you ask?

John
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