{
  "abstract": "The paper examines the energy-mass relation of Special Relativity (SR), its status and interpretation, through the lens of classical/non-quantum relativistic field theory. The latter arguably constitutes the fullest embodiment of SR as what Einstein labelled a \"principle theory\". It forms, we propose, the most appropriate perspective also for understanding the energy-mass relation. In a field-theoretic setting, the key notion is a system's energy-momentum (in local/differential or global/integral form, defined via a suitable energy-stress complex). The energy-mass relation then expresses the role that a system's _rest_-energy (provided it exists) plays as the functional counterpart of mass: thanks to important theorems, rest-energy qualifies as its field-theoretic generalisation or successor term. That is, while mass is dispensed with as a fundamental notion, rest-energy retains some---but not all---of its salient functional roles; for special cases, it turns out to be directly correlated with mass. In field theory as a general framework for more specific relativistic theories, energy-momentum replaces mass as the essential notion---a profound, yet often overlooked revision in basic physical concepts. Conservation in particular is guaranteed only for energy-momentum, but no longer for mass. In several regards, energy-momentum fuses energy, momentum and mass, with novel connections amongst them and concomitant physical effects. Situating the energy-mass relation within field theory is a surprisingly neglected, but deeply insightful vista for clarifying and philosophically reflecting on SR's foundations. The field-theoretic interpretation achieves a compelling inner coherence and unifying power, and ties it to the rich heuristic resources of field theory, crucial for post-1905 developments in physics.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.32368",
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Patrick M. Duerr"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Brian Pitts"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5y22vtwrm66g3.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.32368",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "5y22vtwrm66g3",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.32368",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.ed-ph"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.hist-ph"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3103|Relativity and Gravitational Theory"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214706376",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.32368",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-26",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5y22vtwrm66g3.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:12Z",
      "native_id": "2609.32368",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.32368"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.ed-ph",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "From Mass to Energy-Momentum: The Field-Theoretic Perspective on the Energy-Mass Relation",
  "title_text": "From Mass to Energy-Momentum: The Field-Theoretic Perspective on the Energy-Mass Relation",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5y22vtwrm66g3",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}