The Logical Structure of Special Relativity: A Conceptual Analysis

This article presents a conceptual analysis of the logical structure of special relativity (SR) based on an explicitly defined geometric analysis model derived from an idealized thought experiment. The analysis examines the logical relations between central concepts of the theory, including events, coordinates, inertial frames, velocity, simultaneity, and the speed of light. The results show that several fundamental relations in SR depend on implicit structural assumptions concerning the relation between reference frames, the geometric description of light propagation, and the interpretation of spacetime coordinates. By explicitly separating geometric relations from coordinate descriptions, the analysis clarifies how these assumptions enter the conceptual structure of the theory. This study shows that Lorentz transformations relate coordinate descriptions of the same physical events, while the physical interpretation of these coordinates depends on additional assumptions about spacetime structure. The analysis suggests that an explicit specification of these structural relations is necessary for a logically transparent formulation of the theory.This work is part of a series of conceptual analyses of special relativity.