For various reasons -- mostly having to do with some short story ideas I'm kicking around and a general love of science -- I've been reviewing the famous theories of relativity. As is so often my wont, I'm always struck by the parallel between the so-called "hard sciences" and the "social sciences" when it comes to enduring principles.

For instance, in Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity, it has been established that two events that occur simultaneously in one frame of reference will occur *non* simultaneously in other frames of references. A description goes something like this:

Bob the Observer is sitting on a planet when two ludicrously speedy spaceships heading in opposite directions pass each directly above him. Both spaceships were made at the same factory to the same specifications. To Bob, they appear to be equal size and shape, are travelling at equal speeds, and they each are aligned so that the tip of the tail of Spaceship 1 passes the tip of the nose of Spaceship 2 at exactly the same instant as the tip of the tail of Spaceship 2 passes the tip of the nose of Spaceship 1.

No big deal, right? Since both ships are the same length and are heading in opposite directions, it stands to reason that their respective noses pass the others' tails at exactly the same instant.

But, because of special relativity, if we observe the exact same event from Spaceship 1, it turns out that the tip of our spaceship passes by the tail of Spaceship 2 a split second *before* the nose of Spaceship 2 passes by our tail. This is because, relative to those of us in Spaceship 1, the second spaceship is travelling a most ludicrous speed and is therefore *compressed* in time and space relative to us. The second ship appears to be smaller, and hence not as long as our own spaceship. The simultaneous events witnessed by Bob are not simultaneous when witnessed from Spaceship 1.

Likewise, Spaceship 2 sees the rapidly approaching Spaceship1 as a smaller craft, and they, too, witness these events non-simultaneously. In fact, they view these events as happening in the reverse order from the observations made from Spaceship 1.

Okay, okay, I'm getting confusing here. The point is, events A and B appear to happen at exactly the same moment from one frame of reference, A precedes B from another, and B precedes A from yet another. All of these are correct, accurate, verifiable, reproducible. And they all follow a logic that is irrefutable.

No, I will not explain why. That's a lot of ground to cover, and I don't have that much time tonight. Just take my word for it: this is one of the consequences of special relativity.

As I was reminded of this juicy little tidbit, it reminded me of the cause of World War I. Don't stare at this screen blankly; just go with me on this one. It'll all make sense.

Observed from one frame of reference, Russia and Austria made their respective decisions to mobilize their forces, thereby triggering WWI, *simultaneously*. Observed from the Austrian point of reference, however, it was *they* who mobilized first. Likewise, the Russian point of reference would reveal that it was the Russians who mobilized first.

Historians have debated ever since over which events were *truly* the start of the War. Unlike their cousins in the hard sciences, the social scientists have failed to show the imagination necessary to accept the idea that all three positions can be correct at the same time; just not from the same point of reference.

This is a key point, one which I think would help political scientists and other social scientists to better understand the nature of the political and social world in which they live, and their motion through it.