And now consider a third object, . We will assume that is of the same colour as . Beyond that we know nothing of it. Once again, are we entitled to write ? The answer is: Yes, if the [Pg 240] symbol = stands for “is of the same colour as”; No, if it stands for some other type of equality. In order to avoid confusion let us then write our symbol: ( standing for colour). Our two equalities now become ; ; and obviously there is no reason for us to infer that should equal either in size or colour, since the symbols and do not convey the same meaning. It may be assumed that even the most careless of critics would grant the correctness of the preceding argument. But in the case of his criticism of Einstein’s theory he would argue: “All this is very fine, but in the relativistic absurdity which I am pointing out to you I am perfectly entitled to write ; and . For in the present case the symbol = between and , and between and , stands for exactly the same concept, namely, that of identity in time; it does not refer to such different concepts as ‘size’ in the first instance and ‘colour’ in the second.” Obviously, it is easy to detect the petitio principii unconsciously introduced into this argument. By stating that the two symbols = must mean the same thing since they both connote identity in time, the critic is accepting a priori as self-evident that there can be only one time-stream, or, in other words, that time is absolute. Of course, if he wishes to introduce his own private assumptions, he may do so; but he must not blame the theory if as a result thereof he is faced with a logical contradiction. He should realise that the contradiction arises solely as a result of his own initial unwarranted assumption, and that were he to withdraw this initial assumption the contradiction would automatically disappear. Then, indeed, he would have to recognise that the two symbols = need not have the same meaning; that the first, which we may write , would represent “at the same time according to John,” whereas the second one, , would represent “at the same time according to Peter.” As a result the relations would be written: and just as in the case of colour and size, he would recognise that the first two equalities in no wise compelled the equality of and . But we may wonder why it is that the critic does not realise that all the trouble that has arisen is of his own making. The answer appears perfectly clear. It would be somewhat as follows: “At no time does he realise that he has introduced an arbitrary assumption and has thereby begged the entire question. The traditional belief in absolute time so dominates his mind that he thinks in terms of it even when he knows that the theory of relativity is not based on any such a priori belief.” [Pg 241]