Final answer:
If a person thrown into the lake floats, it historically indicated innocence in trial by water (b). The provided text is more figurative, discussing the injustice of fate. In the Michelson-Morley experiment analogy, water symbolizes aether, swimmers represent light, and the raft symbolizes the interferometer.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the person thrown into the lake floats, it typically indicated innocence according to the historical practice of trial by water. This practice was used in the past where it was believed that pure water would reject the guilty, so if one floated, they were considered innocent.
In the context of the provided text, it seems more like a philosophical reflection on fate and injustice rather than a reference to actual historical events. The individual contemplates the absurdity and perceived injustice of possibly drowning after surviving so far, which could metaphorically relate to the randomness of trials and tribulations in life.
The Michelson-Morley experiment aimed to detect the presence of 'aether,' which was thought to be the medium through which light waves traveled. In this analogy (i) the water represents the presumed aether, (ii) the swimmers represent light, and (iii) the raft represents the interferometer that was used to try to detect the presence of aether by comparing the speed of light in perpendicular directions.