Special relativity as an account for a “special kind” of optical illusion

Abstract

Although Einstein’s special theory of relativity (STR) is more than a century old, the relation to reality of its predictions, such as length contraction, for instance, still seems obscure. Here, it is argued that the STR, by reason of observer-dependence and the contradicting nature of its predictions, describes a particular relationship of an observer to reality. Thus, it is concluded that the STR should be looked at as an account for a special kind of optical illusion.