The Photon Existence Paradox

Abstract

Special relativity enjoins lightspeed objects from possessing essential characteristics one might naively associate with physically existing objects. Thus, it can be argued, had we not already known of the physical existence of lightspeed objects, such as photons, then we would have interpreted this enjoinment to mean that it is impossible for lightspeed objects to exist. From this perspective, the empirical existence of photons poses a paradox. A recently proved equivalence relation shows how this paradox is properly resolved: it is possible for lightspeed objects to exist, but not in spacetime. The interpretation of the paradox depends on which aspect of special relativity one wishes to emphasize: it can be framed either in terms of the ``error'' of assuming absolute existence, i.e. that physical existence can be specified without reference to a given spacetime, or a ``gap'' in standard special relativity in that it lacks any reference to a physics-based concept of existence in spacetime.