Action at a distance in electrodynamics and inertia

Abstract

This paper reviews the parallel development of electrodynamics and gravitation as direct particle theories, echoing the ideals of Ernst Mach. It is shown that a synthesisj of Mach's ideas with these two interactions leads to their better conceptual understanding, Both interactions, however, show that the resulting framework is relativistically invariant and thus precludes instantaneous action at a distance. At the same time, they establish a strong link between the large scale structure of the universe and local phys.cs, as might be expected from an action at a distance framework.