Does Time Exist? Science Explains 4 Dimensions & Timelines

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the nature of time and its existence in relation to three-dimensional and four-dimensional objects, as well as the implications of different scientific theories, such as relativity and quantum mechanics. Participants question whether time is a fundamental aspect of reality or merely a useful construct, and how this affects our understanding of existence and perception.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that objects may exist as three-dimensional entities that cease to exist when they change, while others suggest they are four-dimensional and persist due to the existence of time.
  • One participant argues that science does not definitively address the existence of time, suggesting that this is more a philosophical question, while science provides models under specific conditions.
  • Another viewpoint describes time as a coordinate, with real-world objects moving through four dimensions, but acknowledges the difficulty in fully understanding what time represents physically.
  • Questions arise about the implications of time for different objects, such as humans versus inanimate objects, and how perception complicates the understanding of time.
  • Participants discuss the concept of worldlines in relativity, noting that they represent the existence of an object through time and space, and how this differs from the treatment of time in quantum mechanics.
  • One participant raises the idea that if time is merely movement, then only the present exists, leading to the notion that an object may not be connected to its past.
  • Another participant questions whether there is a difference in interpretation between three-dimensional and four-dimensional views and whether any experiment could distinguish between them.
  • Concerns are expressed about the role of consciousness in quantum mechanics, particularly in relation to the double-slit experiment, and whether non-human entities experience time similarly.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the nature of time and its implications for existence. There is no consensus on whether time exists as a fundamental aspect of reality or as a useful construct, nor on how different objects relate to time.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in understanding time, particularly in distinguishing between philosophical interpretations and scientific models. The discussion remains open-ended with unresolved questions about the implications of different theories.

  • #31
I hope that you don't think this question too stupid to answer but I have a narrow question about time.
It is often said an atomic clock on a airplane or GPS has different time than on land or that if properly protected a clock going into a black hole will stop because of the speed of light or because of gravity. My question is: Isn't an Atomic Clock or any clock just either a mechanical or vibration that happens by design to coincide with the calculated time on earth? In other words someone designed a device that happens to tell time as we know it. It doesn't sense cosmic time. So if properly protected wouldn't it "tick" or Vibrate the same as it does on earth. Or let's say someones heartbeat just happens to be so accurate that you can tell time by it. If he is adequately protected and goes into a black hole won't his heart beat the same? By the same token I can buy a clock that ticks slower or faster than actual time because it is a bad clock, it has nothing to do with actual time. So how can we make the assumption that time slows?
 
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  • #32
Nope. Time actually does change depending on where you are in a gravity well and when viewing things moving at different velocities relative to you. I'll try to explain better once I get my internet set up and I'm off my cell phone.
 
  • #33
to me time is just another dimension in which any object keeps on sliding at the speed of light, just like a ball placed on a child's slide. The only way for the ball to stop/slow sliding down is start moving in another direction.
 

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