Time

[Bijo]

In my more philosophical, spiritual, and deeper states back then (I forgot exactly when but some years ago probably), I chose to think about the concept of time. A very interesting subject to ponder.

Now, I'm trying to pick it up again, and this thread is intended for us to discuss time. What is it anyway? As far as I think it to be it's merely a human construct to facilitate our understanding of something that doesn't exist. Time doesn't physically exist as a natural dimension or something of the sort, but only mentally.

There is no past and there is no future: there is only now, the present. But we can mentally anticipate and speculate on what is to come, as we can think back of the "past" too using (among other things) this concept of time.

Have you ever (been able to) let go of the idea of time (even if it has been indoctrinated into your mind for so long)? If so, what exactly happened to you and/or what kind of state were you in?

[TevashSzat]

Simple answer here....Time is the Fourth Dimension and the last known one. There should be around 9?? more according the string theory

[Papewaio]

Space & time are all related. Time is as real as space... both of which are functions of this universe's creation.

[Lemur]

Have you ever (been able to) let go of the idea of time (even if it has been indoctrinated into your mind for so long)? If so, what exactly happened to you and/or what kind of state were you in?

I convinced myself that I was a circus seal, and for a while I forgot how to swallow. This was the same evening when my wife began to scream, repeatedly, "Take me to the capitol of the Olympic Village!"

But no, I don't think I ever "let go" of the idea of time. I can say that it was irrelevant in my mental state, however. (Drink lots of water and get a good sleep after that sort of party, kids.)

[Sjakihata]

Time is production, production is exchange-value, and exchange-value is capital.

[Major Robert Dump]

I learned the true value of time when I sat through Costner's The Postman.

[Beirut]

The truth about time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntm1YfehK7U

[English assassin]

If this is about one of my bills let me tell you all that time was properly recorded. There are 32 hours in the day everyone knows that.

Have you ever (been able to) let go of the idea of time (even if it has been indoctrinated into your mind for so long)? If so, what exactly happened to you and/or what kind of state were you in?

Sure. I once got so bladdered at uni I thought I was watching Quadrophenia, at 2 am, when in fact I was watching the Ten o'clock news (at 10 pm, obviously). Until you think you have seen Sir Trevor McDonald performing Pinball Wizard you haven't REALLY been drunk.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Sure. I once got so bladdered at uni I thought I was watching Quadrophenia, at 2 am, when in fact I was watching the Ten o'clock news (at 10 pm, obviously). Until you think you have seen Sir Trevor McDonald performing Pinball Wizard you haven't REALLY been drunk.

The finest signature material available on the 'net.

Maestro.

[Bijo]

Hrm, as far as I know - and I basically mentioned it in the OP - Time doesn't physically exist. It's no object or flowing entity of the sort through which something would move. That is reserved for Space that actually exists and can be measured, as Time is the fourth... "dimension" that can be "measured" only, as it's still a mental construct to explain our mind's ability "to look back" and "to predict" ...the universe itself STILL has no past nor a future.

Hmm, maybe there's a nice way of putting it...? "Time is just like a religion or something. We invent it and it seems a very persistent religion that we all follow for some reason, though it's more scientific and logical in nature." :P


That thing about string theory (and/or m theory?)... It seems they - those dimensions - cannot be really perceived anyway by humans, so it's not as directly important as the others, and it wasn't the subject anyway.

[...]

The whole damn thing just makes me irritated if I think about it too much, because it's one of those things you can't explore beyond a purely speculative fashion, in any real sense.

LOL. Gotta love that

[dacdac]

Originally posted by Hiji:
Hmm, maybe there's a nice way of putting it...? "Time is just like a religion or something. We invent it and it seems a very persistent religion that we all follow for some reason, though it's more scientific and logical in nature." :P

well then couldnt you say the same thing for 2D objects such as circles, squares, rectangles, etc. Cause technically, they dont exist. They are just 2-D objects represented on 3 dimensional things. you cant show or give me a true 2D object, so are they a religion as well?

If so, i call Pope.

[Quietus]

Everything is a mental construct, not just time. Everything you hear, smell, taste, see or feel is a mental construct for example. Even your sense of gravity is a construct.

[Kralizec]

I learned the true value of time when I sat through Costner's The Postman.

Lol

[Bijo]

well then couldnt you say the same thing for 2D objects such as circles, squares, rectangles, etc. Cause technically, they dont exist. They are just 2-D objects represented on 3 dimensional things. you cant show or give me a true 2D object, so are they a religion as well?

If so, i call Pope.

Hiji? What the hell is that about? I hope it has to do with your keyboard/system or something like that.

Regarding your comment... We both know it's futile to discuss that point. It's too impractical too, not to mention irrelevant. The point is that Time doesn't really exist. In this thread I have no concern for "true 2D objects". That remark I made with religion and logic was merely a cynical attempt to critisize Time's so-called existence or reality - nothing more, so it's not like one should take it and apply it to other things with supreme seriousness (and then possibly act like my argument has lost its worth).

Almost sounds like you're showing me a red herring or something. Luckily I'm no training hound :P

[Bijo]

Everything is a mental construct, not just time. Everything you hear, smell, taste, see or feel is a mental construct for example. Even your sense of gravity is a construct.

The main argument is that Time is about a mental construct and that's it.

We could go into a biology-like discussion, where we know our mass/flesh/etc. has physical and physiological functions, uses, and so on, but I see no need for it. Just like I see no need for gravity to be discussed.

[Andres]

If there weren't time, would everything happen at the same time? So maybe time is there to prevent that kind of chaos

Without time, we can't put order in our thoughts. Time is a necessary premise to be able to think. Without time, no reasoning.

[Bijo]

Basic Training had an effect like that. Everyone was so far removed from their normal environment, and the level of stress was so high--not to mention the very little amount of sleep we got--that the days would start to blend together. I had alot of trouble remembering whether I had done something yesterday, or last week, or six hours ago.

That sounds like you've gotten pretty close to letting go of the time concept.

If there weren't time, would everything happen at the same time? So maybe time is there to prevent that kind of chaos

Without time, we can't put order in our thoughts. Time is a necessary premise to be able to think. Without time, no reasoning.

Dear Andres, I'll say to you the same thing :)

It seems things are happening right now, and it will always be. Time is still the mental construct spoken of earlier, so there is no true Time, as a true natural fourth dimension.

[TevashSzat]

The funny thing about time is that every law of physics treats any time the same so there is no reason for time to be running forward or backward. It is entropy that is just keeping time going on since systems evolve towards higher entropy

[Quietus]

The main argument is that Time is about a mental construct and that's it.

We could go into a biology-like discussion, where we know our mass/flesh/etc. has physical and physiological functions, uses, and so on, but I see no need for it. Just like I see no need for gravity to be discussed.

Well, you usually associate time with age. But age is the function of entropy.

If one can cryogenically freeze a 20-year for 100 years, wake him up and ask the question: How old is this guy? What do you say? 20 years old or 120 years old? Well it's the same perception as any of your senses. It's a construct.

Same with feeling what is up or down, which is gravity. Perception, a mental construct.