Mach’s principle and the structure of dynamical theories

Abstract

A structure of dynamical theories is proposed that implements Mach’s ideas by being relational in its treatment of both motion and time. The resulting general dynamics, which is called intrinsic dynamics and by construction treats the evolution of the entire Universe, is shown to admit as special cases Newtonian dynamics and Lorentz-invariant field theory provided the angular momentum of the Universe is zero in the frame in which its momentum is zero. The formal structure of Einstein’s general theory of relativity also fits the pattern of intrinsic dynamics and is Machian according to the criteria of this paper provided the so-called thin-sandwich conjecture is generically correct.