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kent davidge
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I'm wondering if time is just a way we have to "measure" how things change its characteristics in space. Is that correct?
Exploring the Nature of Time: Is it Just a Measurement?
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In summary, the conversation discussed the concept of time and whether it is a philosophical or scientific question. The speakers also mentioned the competing views of Henri Bergson and Albert Einstein, and the idea that time is relative and exists within the concept of spacetime. They also touched on the difficulty of defining time and the potential for misinformation on the topic.
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'What is time' is a philosophical question, not a scientific one. Science concerns itself simply with the performance of time and its relationship with other observables.
If you are interested in questions of what time 'is', you might like to look into the history of the competing views of Henri Bergson and Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. There's a temptation to say that Einstein must have been correct, because he was such a great physicist. But that does not necessarily follow, as the controversy was not about physics but rather the interpretation of physics.
I am closer to Einstein's view than Bergson's, but that's just an aesthetic preference. In the final analysis, I think the question 'what is time?' dissolves into meaninglessness.
There's a book about the controversy here and a podcast that discusses it here.
If you are interested in questions of what time 'is', you might like to look into the history of the competing views of Henri Bergson and Albert Einstein in the early 20th century. There's a temptation to say that Einstein must have been correct, because he was such a great physicist. But that does not necessarily follow, as the controversy was not about physics but rather the interpretation of physics.
I am closer to Einstein's view than Bergson's, but that's just an aesthetic preference. In the final analysis, I think the question 'what is time?' dissolves into meaninglessness.
There's a book about the controversy here and a podcast that discusses it here.
- #3
kent davidge
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(sorry for my poor english) I'm not trying to analyze it from a philosophical point of view but instead I'm trying to understand what is the physical meaning of time. I think it could be explained in terms of self change of things through space. If you have, say, a body which never changes itself, then the time is not running for that body. But, yet, that body could be moving freely through space. What I'm doing here is trying to analyze the time from this point of view. Why would this reasoning be wrong?
- #4
Drakkith
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kent davidge said:
Time is always running for all objects, regardless of whether they are "changing themselves" or not.
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What does that mean?kent davidge said:
There is no physical meaning of time (or of anything else), because meaning is not physical. When you inquire into meaning, you are doing philosophy not science, regardless of whether that was your intent.kent davidge said:
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Isaac0427
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What about photons?Drakkith said:
- #7
Isaac0427
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I'm just going to give the complicated answer:kent davidge said:
Time is defined in relativity in an odd way. Technically, time actually doesn't exist on its own, it is part of spacetime. In fact, space and time work very similarly. Both can be stretched or contracted (in a sense) by high velocities, both can be curved by gravity, and both can be measured in meters (technically time is measured in lightseconds, but if you just call it about 3*10^8 meters, they are both measured in meters). That last one is a little confusing, but it makes sense if you think about it. How can you have one combined spacetime if space and time are measured in different units? If you multiply the time axis by the speed of light c, you will get the ct axis. By doing dimensional analysis, you will get the dimensions of length. And now to focus on my other points, time is not fixed, it is relative. Gravity makes time feel slower for you (I'm pretty sure, mentors please correct me if I'm wrong), and high velocities make you feel like time is slower for people not going as fast as you (and if you are traveling with a high velocity relative to someone else, you will think that person is experiencing time slower while he/she will think time is running slower for you). So that's time (probably a little more complicated than you expected
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Charlse Darwin
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Time is the ongoing sequence of events taking place.
- #9
Drakkith
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I'm going to close this thread before it attracts crackpots and misinformation (as threads on time usually do).
I think the wikipedia article on time provides a pretty nice explanation of what we consider time to be and the difficulties associated with trying to precisely define it. Give it a read if you haven't already.
Thread locked.
I think the wikipedia article on time provides a pretty nice explanation of what we consider time to be and the difficulties associated with trying to precisely define it. Give it a read if you haven't already.
Thread locked.
1. What is time and how is it measured?
Time is a concept that is used to describe the sequence and duration of events. It is typically measured using units such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years.
2. Is time a physical or a human construct?
This is a debated question among scientists. Some argue that time is a fundamental physical quantity, while others believe it is a human construct based on our perception and measurement of it.
3. Can time be manipulated or controlled?
While we can manipulate how we measure time, such as through the use of clocks and calendars, the physical properties of time cannot be changed. Time moves forward at a constant rate and cannot be controlled or manipulated by humans.
4. How does our understanding of time change over time?
Our understanding of time has evolved over the centuries, from a purely philosophical concept to a physical quantity that can be measured and studied. With advancements in science and technology, our understanding of time continues to deepen and expand.
5. Is time travel possible?
At this time, time travel is not possible according to our current understanding of physics. The idea of traveling back in time is often explored in science fiction, but there is no scientific evidence to support its feasibility.
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