Time in the theory of relativity: on natural clocks, proper time, the clock hypothesis, and all that

TL;DR

This paper explores the concept of proper time in relativity, emphasizing Einstein's natural clocks and their significance, contrasting with debates on the clock hypothesis and its assumptions.

Contribution

It offers a novel perspective by revisiting Einstein's natural clocks, highlighting their importance in understanding proper time without relying solely on the clock hypothesis.

Findings

Reinterprets Einstein's notion of natural clocks

Challenges the necessity of the clock hypothesis

Highlights the role of natural clocks in proper time

Abstract

When addressing the notion of proper time in the theory of relativity, it is usually taken for granted that the time read by an accelerated clock is given by the Minkowski proper time. However, there are authors like Harvey Brown that consider necessary an extra assumption to arrive at this result, the so-called clock hypothesis. In opposition to Brown, Richard T. W. Arthur takes the clock hypothesis to be already implicit in the theory. In this paper I will present a view different from these authors by recovering Einstein's notion of natural clock and showing its relevance to the debate.