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...the idea is that the speed of light might change as one alters assumptions about how elementary particles interact with radiation. Both treat space as something that isn't empty, but a great big soup of virtual particles that wink in and out of existence in tiny fractions of a second.

Hi Kevmo! Ultimately, isn't the speed of light a function of time? Our "human view" of time is that it is serial and linear, moving inexorably from past, to present, to future. Our concept of time is pretty "flat." Now we have these virtual particles that wink in and out of existence. These particles do not appear (to me) to be the sort of things that conform to our standard model of serial, linear time — which is essentially based on observation and convention. The idea of a universal vacuum field also does not comport with this model — for this vacuum is universal. Rather it seems the behavior of virtual particles points to anther temporal dimension that is not directly observable by humans, and is definitely not "flat."

I dunno. I'm reasoning as a philosopher, not a scientist. What I do know is that certain high-energy physicists/cosmologists — for example the distinguished Israeli physicist Avshalom Elitzur — have suggested that our current notions of time are very likely inadequate and are acting as a constraint on new breakthroughs in the physical understanding of our universe.

Just some thoughts, FWTW.

Thanks for the ping!