In a message dated 4/12/01 6:44:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jpe@USNA.EDU
writes:
<< I would point out that "inertial mass" would still be there as it is "self
aware" -- it doesn't need the interaction with any other object to be
meaningful. >>
My two cents worth. I think this point can be disputed. According to Mach's
principal, inertia is the result of the interaction of the accelerated object
and the rest of the Universe. If you accept the validly of this principal
than in a Universe with just one object there is no inertia. However this
principal is not accepted by everyone as being valid. Einstein accepted it
for a time and Feynman tried to modify this concept using his and John
Wheeler's absorber theory. However I don't believe he was ever completely
successful in doing this.