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Does time exist

gallandof

Android Expert
Jul 8, 2010
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I remember a few years ago reading an article about "time" and whether or not it existed or if was just something to keep sanity. If anyone read or knows of this article may you please post it.

Also what are your thoughts on this, is time real in the sense that its naturally occuring, or is it just something that man kind has made up?

(i'll do some searching for the article as well since it was an interesting read)
 
I always thought that time was generally relative and specific to each observer. It exists, yes, but it's measure is problematic as all measurements are relative to the point of observations, which is invariably affected by local conditions. Since we are all living under very similar local conditions, we tend not to notice, but it doesn't make it less so.
 
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I always thought that time was generally relative and specific to each observer. It exists, yes, but it's measure is problematic as all measurements are relative to the point of observations, which is invariably affected by local conditions. Since we are all living under very similar local conditions, we tend not to notice, but it doesn't make it less so.

+1 But i'm a community college drop out....
 
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I like Einstein's theories. Time is all relative.

Check out some of the newer Theoretical physics theories like "String Theory" or, my personal favorite, "M Theory (super string theory)". If some of these theories are ever proven to be true, some of Einsteins theories will find themselves in the proverbial scrap heap!
 
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If time did not exist, then all things that happen would happen at once.

The moment in which you were born, got married, had kids, and died would all be in the same moment.

It would also be the same moment as your kids got married had kids and died.

In fact, you would have to be extremely careful not to marry one of your own descendants.

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I think the bigger question is whether or not time physical exists. Does it have physical measurements that we can measure?

Can time be effected by outside influences (other than speed)?

These are the bigger questions.

The fact that we can measure the passage of time, and see the effects of speed on the passage of time (i.e. astronauts actually spend less time in orbit, than they lose on earth.. not a lot less, but less).


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Now, linear versus branching time... that's a marvelous question.

My favorite discussions involve linear versus branching time and RELIGION.

How does it effect religion. If there are an infinite number of you in an infinite number of universes.... are there are infinite number of heavens and an infinite number of Gods?

Is there an infinite number of heavens, but one God between them all?

Is there one heaven and one God, where all of the copies of you that make it to heaven will ALL be?

Is there one heaven and one God, where you will only get to heaven if the sum of your souls between the infinite universes achieves a certain level of pureness to allow you into heaven?

Is there one heaven and one God, where all of the "you's" that are saved make it to heaven and are combined into one, and all of the "you's" that are not are combined and sent to hell?

It's a very interesting conversation in regards to religion.
 
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If time did not exist, then all things that happen would happen at once.

The moment in which you were born, got married, had kids, and died would all be in the same moment.

It would also be the same moment as your kids got married had kids and died.

In fact, you would have to be extremely careful not to marry one of your own descendants.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think the bigger question is whether or not time physical exists. Does it have physical measurements that we can measure?

Can time be effected by outside influences (other than speed)?

These are the bigger questions.

The fact that we can measure the passage of time, and see the effects of speed on the passage of time (i.e. astronauts actually spend less time in orbit, than they lose on earth.. not a lot less, but less).


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, linear versus branching time... that's a marvelous question.

My favorite discussions involve linear versus branching time and RELIGION.

How does it effect religion. If there are an infinite number of you in an infinite number of universes.... are there are infinite number of heavens and an infinite number of Gods?

Is there an infinite number of heavens, but one God between them all?

Is there one heaven and one God, where all of the copies of you that make it to heaven will ALL be?

Is there one heaven and one God, where you will only get to heaven if the sum of your souls between the infinite universes achieves a certain level of pureness to allow you into heaven?

Is there one heaven and one God, where all of the "you's" that are saved make it to heaven and are combined into one, and all of the "you's" that are not are combined and sent to hell?

It's a very interesting conversation in regards to religion.

I always like the semi-fictional account that Richard Matheson wrote about in his book "What deams may come". In that account everyone has their own heaven... and that even in heaven God was "up there. Somewhere... shouting down that He loves us. Wondering why we can't hear Him." (this was a quote from the Cuba Gooding character in the movie adaptation).

One of my all-time favorite Robin Williams movies... and one of my favorite Richard Matheson books.

What Dreams May Come (1998) - IMDb
 
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Check out some of the newer Theoretical physics theories like "String Theory" or, my personal favorite, "M Theory (super string theory)". If some of these theories are ever proven to be true, some of Einsteins theories will find themselves in the proverbial scrap heap!
I've read up a bit on string theory already. i wanted to take a break from physics and quantum physics for a bit so I started reading up on chaos theory. it's interesting
 
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If time did not exist, then all things that happen would happen at once.

The moment in which you were born, got married, had kids, and died would all be in the same moment.

It would also be the same moment as your kids got married had kids and died.

In fact, you would have to be extremely careful not to marry one of your own descendants.

If time did not exist, things could NOT happen in the "same moment" because even a single "moment" is a part of time. If there was no such thing as time, I don't think there would even be life for that matter because there would literally be no time, which means nothing can be done because things happen in accord with time.


I think the bigger question is whether or not time physical exists. Does it have physical measurements that we can measure?

Can time be effected by outside influences (other than speed)?

These are the bigger questions.

The fact that we can measure the passage of time, and see the effects of speed on the passage of time (i.e. astronauts actually spend less time in orbit, than they lose on earth.. not a lot less, but less).

Technically, I would same time doesn't PHYSICALLY exist. But I take the word "physical" to mean fathomable\touchable. Time is simply time.
We measure it just as we measure time - we have slapped a label on "time" and have formulated a way to measure it for our convenience.

Now, linear versus branching time... that's a marvelous question.

My favorite discussions involve linear versus branching time and RELIGION.

How does it effect religion. If there are an infinite number of you in an infinite number of universes.... are there are infinite number of heavens and an infinite number of Gods?

Is there an infinite number of heavens, but one God between them all?

Is there one heaven and one God, where all of the copies of you that make it to heaven will ALL be?

Is there one heaven and one God, where you will only get to heaven if the sum of your souls between the infinite universes achieves a certain level of pureness to allow you into heaven?

Is there one heaven and one God, where all of the "you's" that are saved make it to heaven and are combined into one, and all of the "you's" that are not are combined and sent to hell?

It's a very interesting conversation in regards to religion.

This is one question I've never been able to understand HOW\WHY people could possibly believe that time was NOT linear.
If time branches off - what makes us only live\see one of those branches? I have heard the argument that there are the infinite different branches of time representing every small decision that we make. Using our own free-will, is how we chose which branch to take.
If this is the reasoning, then this brings in the whole debate on free will.

I am a non-denominational Christian. I believe man has free will, even though our end\final-destination has already been decided. I believe we DO have free will and, as we see, we all have a say in what we do - but God has still decided where we will end up. Everything in-between, is up to us.
I realize this quick description of my belief on the free-will topic raises a few questions that I would LOVE to answer - but I don't want to be responsible for hijacking the original question.
 
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I've read up a bit on string theory already. i wanted to take a break from physics and quantum physics for a bit so I started reading up on chaos theory. it's interesting

That's awesome! I've always wanted to learn about Chaos Theory. To date I've avoided it because the subject matter is a wee bit more advanced than my addled old mind is ready to grasp...
 
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If time did not exist, things could NOT happen in the "same moment" because even a single "moment" is a part of time. If there was no such thing as time, I don't think there would even be life for that matter because there would literally be no time, which means nothing can be done because things happen in accord with time.

Time is what separates things that have happened, from things that are happening, from things that WILL happen.

Without space, there is no separation between me and you, here and there. It is all the same.

Without time, there is no separation between what has happened, what will happen, or what is happening. It all just happens. Together. At once. Without order, and without progression.

Without time. Earth exists as Pangaea. Our current configuration, and the remaining husk that is left after our sun goes super nova... all together in the same existence.

Everything IS.

Technically, I would same time doesn't PHYSICALLY exist. But I take the word "physical" to mean fathomable\touchable. Time is simply time.
We measure it just as we measure time - we have slapped a label on "time" and have formulated a way to measure it for our convenience.

Same reason we measure miles. Distance still exists.

This is one question I've never been able to understand HOW\WHY people could possibly believe that time was NOT linear.
If time branches off - what makes us only live\see one of those branches? I have heard the argument that there are the infinite different branches of time representing every small decision that we make. Using our own free-will, is how we chose which branch to take.
If this is the reasoning, then this brings in the whole debate on free will.

How/Why is simple.

If we are able to change the past, does the future no longer exist, or do you simply branch to a different future.

If the future was destroyed, then you would not have gone back in time, and you would not have destroyed that future, hence the very event of traveling back in time would create a paradox that eventually destroyed all of time, past present and future.

Think of it like a feedback loop.

Going back in time destroys the future, which prevents you from going back in time, which restored the future, which allows you to go back in time, which destroys the future, which prevents you from going back in time, which restores the future.

Eventually the gravitons and Higgs Boson particles disintegrate which results in no more universe. Ever.

So, if time travel is possible, time would almost certainly need to be something other than linear.

Then, if you go back in time, you can never return to the future from which you left. The very act of being present in the past means that you are branched from the actual past of the future you came from, and can only return to a new future.
 
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