The Shrinking Twin

Authors

  • Pierre Sabatier

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65343/jiss.v2i1.111

Keywords:

Twin paradox, Special Relativity, naive realism, length contraction

Abstract

In this version of the Twin paradox the travelling twin is supposed to have been lying horizontally on a couch in the direction of his movement during his whole trip: he has been a victim of length contraction. He is shorter when he is back than when he departed. Is his size real or appparent?
His size depends on the reference frame where it is measured. It is then observer-dependent. Therefore, contrary to what is assumed by Naive realism, it is not real.
This tends to show that, when Relativity is concerned, Naive realism, the philosophical foundation of classical physics, is not pertinent any more and a different realism is required.

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Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Pierre Sabatier. (2026). The Shrinking Twin. Journal of Interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies, 2(1), pp.36–38. https://doi.org/10.65343/jiss.v2i1.111

Issue

Vol. 2, No. 1, June, 2026

Section

Articles

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