I have been told space and time are illusions. What does that mean?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of space and time being described as illusions, as referenced in a talk attended by the original poster. Participants explore the implications of this idea in relation to relativity, singularities, and the existence of black holes and the Big Bang.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster, Marius Jonsson, expresses confusion about the claim that space and time are illusions, citing a Nobel Prize winner and the contradiction between relativity and observable phenomena like black holes.
  • One participant argues that space and time are dimensions that provide a coordinate system, suggesting that while our perception of time may be illusory, space and time themselves are not illusions.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of clear definitions in scientific communication, indicating that ambiguity can lead to misunderstandings.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether space and time are illusions, with some asserting they are dimensions while others question the clarity of the definitions being used.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the ambiguity surrounding the terms "illusion" and "dimension," and the need for clear definitions to facilitate understanding of complex scientific concepts.

Jonsson
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Hello there,

Some time ago, I saw a talk by a nobel prize winner. He quoted two other scientists, one was Witten, the other I cannot remember.

Since that day I have imagined that it must be correct. Why? Because relativity predicts singularities are nonphysical nonsense. Yet, we can observe black holes exists, and most people in the world seems to believe in the Big Bang.

Can someone please explain this to me in layman terms, or near layman terms why time and space is believed to be illusions. I am a hobby-physicist, but not professional.

Thank you for your time.

Kind regards,
Marius Jonsson
 
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Why oh why didnt I take the BLUE pill?
 
Space and time are not illusions, they're dimensions. They create a coordinate system that gives a unique identifier for each possible location in space-time.

Perhaps our perception of the passage of time is a biological illusion, or the perception of an infinite unbounded universe is an illusion but neither space nor time are illusions.
 
Lesson #1 when attempting to communicate science;

Your definitions must be clear and unambiguous. Do not assume that we automatically know what you are talking about.

Claude.
 

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