Julian Barbour on Motion: Exploring the Illusion of Movement and Perception

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In summary, Julian Barbour argues that motion is a series of still photographs interpreted by our brains at 24 frames per second. He uses the disease 'Epekinesis' as an example of how we can perceive movement even without the ability to move. However, this does not align with the fact that we continue to move even with our eyes closed. Some argue that Barbour's ideas are just a different way of describing time, but ultimately, they do not provide any useful insights.
  • #1
KendallAngel
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Julian Barbour argues that motion is a serie of still photographs, played at 24frames per second, that our brains interpret, the images you are watching now, seem to move, but nothing is moving.
He uses the disease called 'Epekinesis" as an example. But how can we feel movement even if we have that disease? this disease is clearly the impossibility to PERCEIVE movement, not the impossibility to MOVE, when we close our eyes, we continue to move, that is the proof that movement has nothing to do with that way he describes it, his logic fails here.

what do you think?
 
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KendallAngel said:
what do you think?
I think that Julian Barbour's book was a huge waste of time. I guess, since be believes time doesn't exist, he doesn't mind wasting it. I was very disappointed after reading it, for the reason you describe here and also for the fact that it seems that all of his stuff is simply time with another name and a weird description.
 
  • #3
Thanks for answering, so basically his ideas doesn't deny time, but describes time in another useless way?
 
  • #4
In my opinion, yes.
 

Related to Julian Barbour on Motion: Exploring the Illusion of Movement and Perception

1. What is the main concept behind Julian Barbour's book "The End of Time: The Next Revolution in Physics"?

The main concept of Barbour's book is that time, as we perceive it, is an illusion and that the universe is a timeless, ever-changing collection of individual moments.

2. What does Julian Barbour mean by the "illusion of movement"?

Barbour believes that our perception of movement is an illusion created by our brains. In reality, the universe is made up of individual, static moments that give the appearance of motion when viewed collectively.

3. How does Barbour's theory of time differ from the traditional view of time?

Traditional views of time see it as a linear, continuous flow from the past to the present to the future. Barbour's theory, on the other hand, sees time as a series of disconnected moments that exist simultaneously.

4. What evidence does Barbour use to support his theory of timeless universe?

Barbour uses a combination of philosophical arguments and scientific evidence, such as Einstein's theory of relativity, to support his theory of a timeless universe. He also points to the concept of entropy, or the measure of disorder in a system, as evidence that the universe is not moving towards a future state but is in a constant state of change.

5. How does Barbour's theory impact our understanding of the world and our place in it?

Barbour's theory challenges our traditional understanding of time and the universe, and therefore, our place in it. It suggests that we are not moving through time but rather existing in a fixed moment, and that our perception of the world may not be an accurate representation of reality. This can lead to a shift in how we view ourselves and our relationship to the universe.

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