The theory of special relativity (TSR) exhibits an unquestionable success, at the expense of an unresolved axiomatic conflict with functional analysis and operator theory, as this paper demonstrates. These mathematical disciplines —amongst the newest developments in the field— could not possibly be incorporated into the original formulation of the TSR because they were in an incipient state at the turn of the 20th century when the TSR was being formulated, maturing only decades later.