On Feb 25, 2:24*pm, "Paul B. Andersen"
wrote:
Juan R. González-Álvarez skrev:

Tom Roberts wrote on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:47:04 +0000:

The best model we have for the propagation of light near a massive

no.

object like the sun is GR, in which the curvature of spacetime is the
important aspect in determining the path light follows. And it agrees
with measurements to part-per-million accuracy over an enormous range.

Theories without spacetime curvature also agree with that.

Could you name one of those theories, please?

Personally I know of no such theories. However spacetime curvature is
not neccesary for light deflection in a gravitational field. So long
is there is a gravitational field present, i.e. non-vanishing
connection coefficients, then a particle can be deflected. A uniform g-
field is a perfect example. The spacetime curvature associated with a
uniform gravitational field is zero and yet a beam of light will be
deflected. Geometrically speaking the deflection is described as the
observer corresponding to a frame of reference for which a geodesic
represents a non-straight line in space, i.e. one changes from
Minkowski coordinates to "curvilinear" coordinates. Spacetime
curvature is only neccesary when geodesic deviation is expected.

Pete