New Concepts about Doppler’s Effect

In this thought-provoking article, Muni Nandighoshvijay challenges the standard interpretation of the Doppler effect as presented in Einstein’s relativity. He begins by explaining the Jain philosophical view of matter and motion: sound, light, darkness and space are all considered modifications of atoms (pudgala) which can change shape and volume but retain mass. According to the author, photons are micro-particles possessing rest mass; their energy derives from their motion, not intrinsic frequency. He then presents Einstein’s relativistic Doppler formula, which predicts that the observed frequency of light from a moving source is given by f = f₀(1 ± v/c)/(1 ∓ v/c)¹/². Nandighoshvijay notes that in extreme cases, the equation yields absurd results: if the observer moves at nearly the speed of light toward the source, the denominator tends to zero and the frequency tends to infinity; if the observer moves away at light speed, the frequency becomes zero. He argues that such infinities show that the formula, and hence the concept of relativistic frequency shift, is physically untenable. Instead, the author claims that frequency is an “imaginary” constant: photons emitted by a source retain their intrinsic vibration irrespective of relative motion, but the intensity of the light (energy per unit area) decreases as the distance or speed difference increases. The perceived change in colour or pitch is due to variation in photon density rather than a change in frequency. Because photons have rest mass, they cannot travel at exactly the speed of light; they always move slightly slower, so Einstein’s basic assumption that light speed is invariant is false. Nandighoshvijay therefore critiques the conceptual basis of modern physics: relativity treats photons as massless, allowing them to move at c, whereas Jain philosophy denies the existence of massless entities and posits that all phenomena are modifications of matter. This difference leads him to question accepted explanations of phenomena such as cosmic redshift. If frequency is constant, he argues, astronomers must account for redshift by considering energy loss through interactions or the absorption of photons rather than by invoking receding galaxies. He calls on physicists to develop new equations that account for a finite photon mass and to incorporate insights from Jain metaphysics about the cyclical nature of the universe. By encouraging dialogue between modern science and ancient philosophy, the article raises provocative questions about the nature of light and motion that invite deeper engagement between science and religion.

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