Question What is Time?

[IG2007]

Here are we, typing and surfing across the vast waves of the oceans of Internet. Everyday, new content, blogs and discussions are uploaded on internet. Every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every fortnight, every month, every year, every decade : our thirst for Knowledge increases. And, the thing that passes when we increase our knowledge and our thirst for it is called "Time".


“No matter how far we go into the future, there will always be new things happening, new information coming in, new worlds to explore, a constantly expanding domain of life, consciousness, and memory.”
― Freeman Dyson


I don't quite remember who said this but still, "The property of Nature which stops everything happening at the same moment is called Time."

Time may be an illusion. Time may be an illustration. So, in your opinion, what is Time?

 

[Truthseeker007]

Time is an illusion, therefore so is everything else. The universe is a consciousness hologram or simulation. Reality is projected illusion within.

 

[Catastrophe]

Nobody seems to know but this is high up on the list:

'The earliest match known to QI appeared in 1919 within a story titled “The Girl in the Golden Atom” by Ray Cummings in the magazine “All-Story Weekly”'

 

[zclayton]

I -think- the "Property of Nature" quote is from Stephen Hawking. Which leads to the observation that the big bang status had no time, and that time ended that status.

 

[IG2007]

Nobody seems to know but this is high up on the list:

'The earliest match known to QI appeared in 1919 within a story titled “The Girl in the Golden Atom” by Ray Cummings in the magazine “All-Story Weekly”'

I don't quite understand what you mean. Can you elaborate?

 

[Catastrophe]

I don't quite understand what you mean. Can you elaborate?

Hi Indian Genius
I put the whole quote in Google and there were many people using the quote but saying they did not originate it.
The quote that I used (which came from my search) seems the most likely original, but the question is uncertain.
The quote I used seems the best chance at the originator.
Does that help?
Cat

 

[dfjchem721]

"Time" is a great tune by Pink Floyd on "The Dark Side of the Moon" LP:

"Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way....."

 

[Truthseeker007]

"Time" is a great tune by Pink Floyd on "The Dark Side of the Moon" LP:

"Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way....."

I love playing the solo to that on my guitar.

 

[IG2007]

This thread is going out of context... My next question, do you think Time has an end? Please give reasons.

 

[zclayton]

The Time is a property of nature Vs Time is an illusion issue is the difference between Physics and Philosophy. In the modern context, they are not talking about the same set of answers.

In the property of nature context time will end when it no longer separates events into discreet occurrence. Now, do we live in an open, flat, or closed universe?

 

[Catastrophe]

The question, of course, should be space-time.
An end is just more anthropomorphism. Just because we have an end, and we see other things ending, we assume everything must have an end.
Look at a circle, the surface of a sphere - these have no ends.

Look at my idea of replacing the Big Bang(always was a silly idea) with a smooth transition through a nexus. Space-time does not end.

Cat

 

[David-J-Franks]

Here are we, typing and surfing across the vast waves of the oceans of Internet. Everyday, new content, blogs and discussions are uploaded on internet. Every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every fortnight, every month, every year, every decade : our thirst for Knowledge increases. And, the thing that passes when we increase our knowledge and our thirst for it is called "Time".


“No matter how far we go into the future, there will always be new things happening, new information coming in, new worlds to explore, a constantly expanding domain of life, consciousness, and memory.”
― Freeman Dyson


I don't quite remember who said this but still, "The property of Nature which stops everything happening at the same moment is called Time."

Time may be an illusion. Time may be an illustration. So, in your opinion, what is Time?

IMO, there's no such thing as time, there's only motion.

From my own notes and ramblings:

"There's no such thing as time, there is only movement and regular or periodic movement. Such as that in balance wheels, resonating quartz crystals in clocks, swinging pendulums, resonating atoms in atomic clocks and rotating or orbiting planets."

"Time is only a word used to describe our experiencing of, and observing of, a changing environment and universe." - which of course, in turn, is just motion

 

[David-J-Franks]

This thread is going out of context... My next question, do you think Time has an end? Please give reasons.

If time doesn't exist then it hasn't got an end (or beginning).

If you go along with that it may be more relevant to ask will motion ever stop?

The answer to this is simple. If you take the rock-solid principle - 'Matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed'. This principle means there has always been 'something' and always will be. Since you can't create motion from stillness means that, that 'something' has always been in motion (and always will be).

So, my final answer to your question is that motion will never end

 

[IG2007]

If time doesn't exist then it hasn't got an end (or beginning).

If you go along with that it may be more relevant to ask will motion ever stop?

The answer to this is simple. If you take the rock-solid principle - 'Matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed'. This principle means there has always been 'something' and always will be. Since you can't create motion from stillness means that, that 'something has always been in motion (and always will be).

So, my final answer to your question is that motion will never end

Though, in my opinion, your statement is rather philosophical. But, yeah, if time exists, then it also shall have no end.

 

[David-J-Franks]

The Time is a property of nature Vs Time is an illusion issue is the difference between Physics and Philosophy. In the modern context, they are not talking about the same set of answers.

In the property of nature context time will end when it no longer separates events into discreet occurrence. Now, do we live in an open, flat, or closed universe?

As above since I don't believe in time, then I can't believe time separates events into discreet occurrence. I think its just motion following the rules of physics and of 'cause and effect' which makes events occur.

When you say "time will end when it no longer separates events into discreet occurrence", are you hinting at the 'heat death of the universe' theory? I don't believe nature allows a one-way process of heat death. In doing so you would need to have a self-centric view that our universe is the (beginning) - be-all and end-all of everything, thus allowing a heat death. Why would such a process be happening now and not sometime before, in which case there would already be a heat death? I also suggest the laws of physics don't allow 1 off processes or phenomenon to occur.

The formation of a universe is a natural process, so accordingly I suggest it is not one-off. Since space IMO is infinite then there must be an infinite number of other universes all in different stages of evolution! Whatsmore, if you take the rock-solid principle - 'Matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed' these universes have and always will exist!

Going back to the heat death idea, I see 2 choices 1- The universe dies in a heat death and something appears from nothing to replace it, or all matter is continuously recycled from old universes into new big bangs somehow.

I suggest you are made from matter which has been recycled an infinite number of times!

 

[David-J-Franks]

Though, in my opinion, your statement is rather philosophical. But, yeah, if time exists, then it also shall have no end.

I'm wondering if you misread my statement - "If time doesn't exist then it hasn't got an end (or beginning)". Note I said "If time doesn't exist" not "if time exists" as you've just said. If you do believe in time, then yes your above statement is equally true.

After reading all your answers, have you decided yet?

 

[Truthseeker007]

This thread is going out of context... My next question, do you think Time has an end? Please give reasons.

If time don't exist then it has no beginning or end.

 

[IG2007]

Sir David J Frank,

I think time exists, it must exist, otherwise there shall be no motion. I think that your statement breaks down to the Arrow Paradox of Zeno, and that's why time is not there. I also believe that I am a recycled matter that has been recycled infinite number of times. But still, something doesn't make sense. And the thing is, how come every universe have the same Laws of Physics? Maybe, the Anthropic principle might answer that. But, I don't think that everything needs something to observe everything. Because, everything will still exist without something.


I rather believe in Einstein, that Time is the fourth dimension. Time exists, and shall always. If I come to your conclusion, then the General Theory of Relativity goes wrong and if that goes wrong, then the observation of that star which moves in a rossette around Sagitarrius A* goes wrong, and if that goes wrong then Newtonian Gravity becomes right and if that becomesright then Mercury's orbit goes haywired. And, everything becomes something else. Time and Motion depend on each other, one cannot be there if there isn't the another: this is my conclusion.

But, I do partially believe in your statement. Time doesn't have an end. So, does not human thirst for knowledge.

So, Sayonara!

 

[Truthseeker007]

Sir David J Frank,

I think time exists, it must exist, otherwise there shall be no motion. I think that your statement breaks down to the Arrow Paradox of Zeno, and that's why time is not there. I also believe that I am a recycled matter that has been recycled infinite number of times. But still, something doesn't make sense. And the thing is, how come every universe have the same Laws of Physics? Maybe, the Anthropic principle might answer that. But, I don't think that everything needs something to observe everything. Because, everything will still exist without something.


I rather believe in Einstein, that Time is the fourth dimension. Time exists, and shall always. If I come to your conclusion, then the General Theory of Relativity goes wrong and if that goes wrong, then the observation of that star which moves in a rossette around Sagitarrius A* goes wrong, and if that goes wrong then Newtonian Gravity becomes right and if that becomesright then Mercury's orbit goes haywired. And, everything becomes something else. Time and Motion depend on each other, one cannot be there if there isn't the another: this is my conclusion.

But, I do partially believe in your statement. Time doesn't have an end. So, does not human thirst for knowledge.

So, Sayonara!

In 1949, on the occasion of Einstein's 70th birthday, Kurt Godel presented him with mathematical proof of the nonexistence of time. Nature, it appears, is governed by eternal laws that stand outside time. Time is part of the illusion of physical reality.

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
Albert Einstein

 

[IG2007]

In 1949, on the occasion of Einstein's 70th birthday, Kurt Godel presented him with mathematical proof of the nonexistence of time. Nature, it appears, is governed by eternal laws that stand outside time. Time is part of the illusion of physical reality.

This thread is becoming really interesting...

The solution of the General Relativity Equation which was made by Godel is brilliant But, I still think that the Universe in spinning. It should actually. Because, in the language of Godel, because the dust particles in the beginning of the universe were greater than their counterparts (antimatter) and that's why we are here. The Universe does not seem to be symmetric, that's why it should be spinning. The Universe must spin, if the theory of Big Bang is right. The Universe must spin, if it is expanding. (And if it really spins and expand then, because of centrifugal force, it shall expand infinitely)

This again proves General Relativity right...

 

[Truthseeker007]

This thread is becoming really interesting...

The solution of the General Relativity Equation which was made by Godel is brilliant But, I still think that the Universe in spinning. It should actually. Because, in the language of Godel, because the dust particles in the beginning of the universe were greater than their counterparts (antimatter) and that's why we are here. The Universe does not seem to be symmetric, that's why it should be spinning. The Universe must spin, if the theory of Big Bang is right. The Universe must spin, if it is expanding. (And if it really spins and expand then, because of centrifugal force, it shall expand infinitely)

This again proves General Relativity right...

Yes and it is nice to see someone actually posting in here. I think it is possible that this universe is a bubble among other universes. A bubble inside more space along with other universes in the outer outer space. I am sure the bubble could also spin. The ancient saying states "As above so below." We are in a planet and it spins. In space with trillions of other planets. It would only make sense for this universe to spin along with a trillion other universes if it truly is above as below.

Also ponder on that the illusion of physical reality is created by the patterns of the Fibonacci Sequence - the Golden Spiral of Consciousness
consisting of zeros and ones that align with the brain.
0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144,...

 

[Catastrophe]

What would the Fibonacci Sequence look like if we had 7 fingers and one thumb on each hand?

Does this make mathematics anthropomorphic?
Which affects time because we measure time by counting = how many do you count to approximate one second?

Cat

 

[IG2007]

Which affects time because we measure time by counting = how many do you count to approximate one second?

Cat

Due to this anomaly only, we can't reach time-zero, the moment of the big bang.

 

[Wolfshadw]

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Similarly, does time exist if no one is there to observe it?
Can anyone explain the difference in a subject's observation of time between eight waking hours and eight sleeping hours?

-Wolf sends

 

[IG2007]

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Similarly, does time exist if no one is there to observe it?
Can anyone explain the difference in a subject's observation of time between eight waking hours and eight sleeping hours?

-Wolf sends

Time exists when there is no one to observe it. In my opinion, the Anthropic Principle is wrong.