that no inconsiderable part of the difficulty which has been felt concerning this second postulate has been due to a failure to perceive the interdependence of these two parts and of postulate M above. Precisely that part of the second postulate to which most objection has been raised is a logical consequence of M and of the other part, the part last mentioned being a statement of a law which for a long time has been accepted by physicists. Consequently, we shall state separately the two parts of the second postulate and bring out with care the interdependence of these and postulate M above.
The part which we shall give first states a principle which has long been familiar in the theory of light, namely, that the velocity of light is unaffected by the velocity of the source. In other words the velocity with which light passes an observer is not increased if the light-source moves toward the observer or decreased if it recedes from him. Stated in exact language this postulate is as follows:
Postulate R'. The velocity of light in free space, measured on an unaccelerated system of reference S by means of units belonging to S, is independent of the unaccelerated velocity of the source of light.
The law stated in this postulate is a conclusion which follows readily from the usual undulatory theory of light and will therefore be accepted by any one who holds to that theory. But it should be emphasized that does not depend for its truth on any theory of light. It is a matter for direct experimental verification or disproof, and this should be made in such way as to be independent, as far as possible, of all general theories of light, at least insofar as they are not supported by direct experimental evidence. So far as the writer is aware, there is no experimental evidence which is undoubtedly opposed to postulate M, while on the other hand there is direct experimental evidence which by some is believed to be definitely in its favor. Tolman,[1] in particular, has considered this matter in relation to the Doppler effect and to the velocity of light from the two limbs of the sun; and has concluded that experiment bears out the postulate. Stewart,[2] on the other hand, has examined the same experiments and has found an explanation for them in Thomson's electromagnetic emission theory of light. According to Stewart these experiments are in agreement with our postulate M but are opposed to our postulate . All other attempted proof or disproof of the postulate appears to be in the same state; it is capable of two interpretations which are directly opposed to each other with respect to their conclusions as to the validity of . Thus at present there is no undoubted experimental
