Older faster if the universe wouldn't be expanding?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of aging in relation to the expansion of the universe. Participants explore whether individuals would age faster or slower if the universe were not expanding, considering various frames of reference and the implications of time perception.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the basis of comparison for aging, suggesting that if time were running faster universally, it would be unnoticeable without a reference point.
  • Another participant notes that if one person travels at a different speed, they perceive aging differently, highlighting the relativity of time perception.
  • A different viewpoint suggests that if the universe were contracting towards a Big Crunch, time would move faster, potentially affecting aging.
  • Some participants express uncertainty about how to define or measure aging in the absence of expansion, indicating a lack of clarity on the implications of time running faster or slower.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of time and aging in relation to the universe's expansion, with no consensus reached on the matter.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the challenge of defining reference points for time and aging, which complicates the discussion. There are unresolved questions about the nature of time in different scenarios, such as expansion versus contraction.

niko2000
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Would we be getting older faster if the universe wouldn't be expanding?
 
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Compared to what? If time were "running" faster throughout the universe, we wouldn't notice because there would be nothing to compare it with.

Notice that if one person were traveling much faster than the other he would see the second "aging slower" but would not think of himself as aging any faster than normal (and, in fact, the second person would see the first person as aging slower!).
 
The question was incomplete.
We wouldn't feel any difference in any case, but time would run faster. That's the thing I don't know...what could we compare with our time?
 
niko2000 said:
Would we be getting older faster if the universe wouldn't be expanding?
Yes, possibly, depending on what you consider the alternative to expanding. If you are considering contraction, as in back toward the Big Crunch, then time would move faster, and so would aging.
 
niko2000 said:
Would we be getting older faster if the universe wouldn't be expanding?


Well, what would be your reference to 'aging slower' or 'faster'? If time was running any slower or faster due to the rate of expansion in the universe, no one would notice, since there would be no reference to compare what would be faster or slower. Least that's how I see it.
 
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