Can Time Exist Before the Big Bang?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of time in relation to the Big Bang, specifically whether time can exist before this event. Participants argue that if the Big Bang marks time T = 0, then the notion of time before this point raises questions about the nature of space-time. They highlight that while numbers can extend infinitely in both directions, the Big Bang is described as a process rather than a singular event, complicating the idea of a finite universe beginning at T = 0. The consensus suggests that the Big Bang theory does not adequately address the universe at T = 0, and the concept of time before the Big Bang remains largely undefined.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cosmological concepts, particularly the Big Bang theory
  • Familiarity with mathematical representations of time and space, such as scale factors
  • Knowledge of the implications of negative time in theoretical physics
  • Basic grasp of the philosophical implications of infinity in mathematics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mathematical implications of negative time in cosmology
  • Explore the concept of scale factors in the context of the Big Bang
  • Investigate philosophical discussions surrounding the nature of time and infinity
  • Study advanced cosmological models that address pre-Big Bang conditions
USEFUL FOR

Astronomers, physicists, cosmologists, and anyone interested in the foundational questions of time and the universe's origins will benefit from this discussion.

blackskynet
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If we calculate Birth of Time then T= 0 or T ≠ 0.
If Big Bang cause time then should we consider Big Bang time T = 0.
But in real life we do have numbers beyond 0. Example : -1 , -2, -3 ...-1000 & so on.
We represent space-time with numbers which are infinite on both side before 0 & after 0...
so how space-time can be finite starting from Big Bang ?
Can we consider Space-time was traveling in high dimension before Big Bang.
 
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If Big Bang cause time then should we consider Big Bang time T = 0.

The Big Bang was a process, not an "event". It describes the early expansion of the Universe, not its beginning.

We represent space-time with numbers which are infinite on both side before 0 & after 0...
so how space-time can be finite starting from Big Bang ?

The same way that I can have a finite collection of objects, even though the set of natural numbers is infinite. Mind you, the infinitude of space is not an entirely settled issue.

Can we consider Space-time was traveling in high dimension before Big Bang.

I have no idea what this means.
 
Time is a measure of change. In cosmology change is usually expressed in terms of a scale factor - a(t) - where t is the time elapsed after the big bang. It is a simple idea, the universe gets bigger as t increases, and smaller as t decreases. Can t be negative? We don't know. Mathematically, it is certainly possible, and it is widely believed the universe is mathematically consistent. It is, however, unclear if any actual physical meaning can be attached to values of t < 0, or even to t = 0. For that reason cosmologists say the big bang theory does not describe the universe at t = 0 and often say the very concept of time before the big bang is meaningless.
 

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