A discussion of causality and the Lorentz group

Abstract

Zeeman (1964) has shown that the group of automorphisms for the relation of causality on Minkowski space is that generated by the orthochronous Poincaré (Halpern, 1968) group and dilatations. Here we prove that the group of automorphisms that preserve the time-like vectors of Minkowski space normwise is the complete Poincaré group. We prove that the timelike structure within the null cone of a single event does define the whole structure of Minkowski space. Further, it is shown that only inertial observers can use Minkowski space to describe space-time.