Does time have a beginning?

[captdude]

I have read very little that explains time in any meaningful way. A basic definition states that time is a human concept that simply measures the movement of objects through space. My argument assumes that time has always been, without a start, creation, or birth of any kind, (Even by the simplified definition stated above time could still "measure" the movements of objects within other dimensions, parallel universes, budding universes, within higher dimensional branes, the movement of higher dimensional branes, etc) Following my argument forward - if time has always been - then an infinite amount of time must have passed. If an infinite amount of time has passed then all things possible must have occurred an innumerable number of times. (an infinite number of monkeys on an infinite number of typewriters..............)

 

[MeteorWayne]

This will be merged into one of the many other time threads here in Physics.

 

[darkmatter4brains]

I have read very little that explains time in any meaningful way.

That's because we have very little understanding of what time REALLY is so far. It's probably one of the biggest mysteries in many fields of study, including physics.

... which is really rather interesting since we experience it every day ...

 

[captdude]

Using the basic definition of time stated in my post above (the measurement of objects moving through space) I have a thought experiment I would like some input on.
1) With the ever increasing expansion of the universe through cosmic inflation at some point in the far distant future the universe should reach a complete state of entropy that will result in the net temperature of the universe reaching absolute zero.
2) At absolute zero all molecular movement stops.

Question #1: What would this mean in relation to time?
Question #2: Would all matter in the universe turn into a Bose–Einstein condensate? (assuming there were an observer to measure it)
Question #3: Would quantum fluctuations in the vacuum of space keep the temperature above absolute zero?

 

[dryson]

If time has a beginning then the beginning of that time would also have another begininng which leads to the realm of infinity and paradoxes.

 

[ArcCentral]

Time would have no beginning. The universe however does have a beginning, and it stands as markers for the measure of time. Absent the universe, time cannot be measured, for we would be in the realm of all of time, which is very very long indeed.

 

[Antwerpo]

To answer the question simple : Yes it does have a beginning. The big bang is the beginning of time in our universe.
My bet is that there is a second time, one we don't notice. That's the time people refer to when they ask what happened before the big bang. This time is totally different from how we perceive time as we describe it.

 

[vogon13]

Not only would it be difficult to measure time in an empty universe (no clocks), but with nothing for time to impinge upon, the concept of time in an empty universe is meaningless. Empty universes instantly evolve into non-empty universes.

 

[Antwerpo]

But we don't live in an empty universe so time extists