A Note on the Significance of Special Relativity to Neural Oscillations

This note describes how in special relativity an electric field in one coordinate system transforms into both an electric field and a magnetic field in another coordinate system traveling at a constant velocity v relative to the former coordinate system. Similarly, a magnetic field in one coordinate system transforms into both a magnetic field and an electric field in another coordinate system traveling at a constant velocity v relative to the former coordinate system. These coordinate systems are constructions that are non-material, logical, and cognitive in nature. Yet we obtain different measurements of electric and/or magnetic fields in the two coordinate systems. These results are obtained with one of the coordinate systems deemed the “stationary” coordinate system while the other coordinate system is deemed the “moving” coordinate system. These designations of “stationary” or “moving” can be switched so that the coordinate system designated the “stationary” coordinate system is instead designated the “moving” coordinate system while the “moving” coordinate system is instead designated the “stationary” coordinate system. This ability to switch which coordinate system is the “stationary” coordinate system or instead the “moving” coordinate system supports the non-material, logical, and cognitive nature of the transformation of an electric field in one coordinate system to electric and magnetic fields in another coordinate system moving at a constant velocity v relative to the first coordinate system and also the transformation of a magnetic field in one coordinate system to magnetic and electric fields in another coordinate system moving at a constant velocity relative to the first coordinate system. The Lorentz coordinate transformation equations themselves which are the foundation for the electromagnetic transformation equations are logical, non-material, and cognitive in nature. These results are relevant to neural oscillations which are composed of electric and magnetic fields. Support for the relevance of the relationship discussed regarding the transformation of electromagnetic phenomena between coordinate systems to neural oscillations is provided by empirical evidence of an association between coherence in cognition and coherence in neural oscillations and an association between incoherence in cognition and incoherence in neural oscillations. In summary, we have measurements of electric and/or magnetic fields which reveal a material aspect for these fields and yet the existence of these fields depends on the non-material, logical, and cognitive constructions that are the coordinate systems within which they are described as well on the electromagnetic transformation equations derived using the non-material, logical, and cognitive Lorentz coordinate transformation equations. Neural oscillations which are composed of electric and magnetic fields would be subject to the points just made in the summary.