Frisch, Muller and Belot on an Inconsistency in Classical Electrodynamics

This paper follows up a debate as to whether classical electrodynamics is inconsistent. Mathias Frisch makes the claim in Inconsistency, Asymmetry and Non-Locality ([2005]), but this has been quickly countered by Fred Muller ([2007]) and Gordon Belot ([2007]). Here I argue that both Muller and Belot fail to connect with the background assumptions which support Frisch’s claim. Responding to Belot I explicate Frisch’s position in more detail, before providing my own criticisms. Correcting Frisch’s position, I find that I can present the theory in a way both authors can agree upon. Differences then manifest themselves purely within the reasoning methods employed.