From a photons perspective, distance does not exist nor does time. Distance and time contract as you approach the speed of light, they are variables.
And I think you are in error or at least sly in stating that we don't actually measure the field. We don't measure light, either, we measure it's intensity. (Or its frequency or polarization.) But that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist!
Certainly Light (photons) exist. I never said that they didn't.
So how can you say that a field cannot be measured?
Again, what are you measuring?
Please explain why the sun is about 7 minutes ahead of where it appears. (I honestly want to understand this one, too.) And this one shouldn't require QM, QED, or Relativity to understand!)
This is getting tedious, but I will make one last effort. Lets take your garden hose example, but instead of spinning you are in the back of a fire truck spraying the water off to the side as it speeds down the road. Objects that are close to the truck get sprayed almost immediately as the truck passes. Objects that are further away take longer to get sprayed. Now If I am the object that is close to the the truck and I point to the source of the water I am pointing at the truck. If I am farther away, when I get sprayed and point to the source of the water I will be pointing behind the truck.
It is exactly the same concept if the observer is spinning and you with the hose let out a single burst of water when the observer is facing you. If you are close you will hit the observer squarely between the eyes. If you are far away you will hit the observer on the back of the head. Now if you are shooting photons, the observer will 'see' you 180 degrees off from where you actually are.
Now can you try and answer the question? If you have a problem may I suggest turning to Feynman 12-4, Fundamental Forces. Fields.
Well, ok whatever. I need to read more whether there is any truth in that. But I do know that it takes twice as long to bounce a laser beam twice as far. So I'm not sure that distance and time never exist with relation to light.
Again, what are you measuring?
The force that the field applies to the electron. Just like we measure other invisible fields - by the force or pressure they exert on things.
This is getting tedious, but I will make one last effort. Lets take your garden hose example, but instead of spinning you are in the back of a fire truck spraying the water off to the side as it speeds down the road. Objects that are close to the truck get sprayed almost immediately as the truck passes. Objects that are further away take longer to get sprayed. Now If I am the object that is close to the the truck and I point to the source of the water I am pointing at the truck. If I am farther away, when I get sprayed and point to the source of the water I will be pointing behind the truck.
With the above I agree - you are correct - and this well models how it would be if the sun were orbiting the earth! The sun's rays would indeed reach the earth from a different angle (about 2.13 degrees or 8.5 minutes lagged) then reality. Then, if gravity "traveled" instantly (which I think was a basis for your question) then indeed, the sun's gravity would be 2.13 degrees ahead of its visual location... But the sun doesn't orbit the earth! Other way around!
It is exactly the same concept if the observer is spinning and you with the hose let out a single burst of water when the observer is facing you. If you are close you will hit the observer squarely between the eyes. If you are far away you will hit the observer on the back of the head.
Let me remind you what you said: "In other words when you look at the Sun, you are seeing it about 7 minutes behind where it actually is, but if you had a sensitive gravity sensor where would it point?"
You were unquestionably talking about angular lag - not just an observer turning their head after the flash. The observer turning their head after the flash does not change the direction from which the flash comes, nor does the earth turning cause an angular lag in the optical image of the sun! (And it most certainly doesn't cause the sun's apparent direction of gravity to lead by 2.13 degrees its apparent direction of light!)
As I mentioned, you said: "In other words when you look at the Sun, you are seeing it about 7 minutes behind where it actually is, but if you had a sensitive gravity sensor where would it point?"
How again would the earth's rotation cause an angular lag in the apparent position of the sun (compared to its gravitational field -- or otherwise) ?
If you doubt this, just do this experiment (even as a thought experiment.)
First, take a turntable like people put spices on in their cupboard. Set it up with a cup in the center, and two cups on opposite sides. Punch a small hole in the outer cups half way down and also mount a laser pointer on one of them. You will see that as the water shoots out of the outer cup onto the center cup, it will go straight in just like the laser beam and they will hit the same spot. Now spin the whole works, and behold, the water will lag the laser beam. THat demonstrates if the sun orbited the earth. Now stop the turn table, and hang the center cup on a string, and just spin it! Lo and behold, the water and laser will continue to hit the same spot even though the cup is spinning!
Actually that sounds kind of fun. If you think I'm wrong let me know I'll try that experiment too!
-Jesse