Is Change Possible Without Time and Vice Versa?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the relationship between change and time, questioning whether change can exist without time and vice versa. Participants examine the implications of time dilation on change, the definitions of "state" and "boundary," and the nature of events in both classical and quantum contexts.

Discussion Character

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

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that change is defined as a state differing from its previous state, but the meaning of "state" is debated.
  • Others argue that classically, change occurs over time, with states described by field values or particle positions that vary smoothly with time.
  • A participant notes that in quantum mechanics, change can occur instantaneously, as seen in phenomena like quantum jumps, which complicates the relationship between time and change.
  • Some contributions suggest that time is necessary for defining change, comparing it to how shape requires space for definition.
  • There is a discussion about whether change can be considered "stepped" or if it is a continuous process, with some asserting that boundaries between states must exist for change to be recognized.
  • Participants explore the idea that boundaries of change might be relative to the observer's perspective, with examples illustrating how different observations can lead to different interpretations of change.
  • Time dilation is mentioned as affecting the perception of change, particularly in contexts involving high speeds or strong gravitational fields.
  • Some participants express the view that our understanding of change may be influenced by biological perceptions, suggesting that we are inclined to see change as a series of transformations.
  • A later reply discusses the logical relationship between time and change, suggesting that time serves as an index of change.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the nature of change and its relationship with time. Multiple competing views remain, particularly regarding whether change is stepped or continuous, and how time dilation influences these concepts.

Contextual Notes

Definitions of "state" and "boundary" are not universally agreed upon, and the discussion includes various interpretations of time and change that depend on different theoretical frameworks.

  • #31
muppet said:
It describes some serious medical complications and a mother to whom you should be very, very grateful... :biggrin:

Not really. Put it this way. Let's say you fell and skinned your knee. The tissues there are damaged and torn open. The next few weeks are spent by the surrounding tissues healing and repairing the torn tissue Once that tissue has been restored, it is much younger tissue than the surrounding tissue. So here the time reference for the new tissue is different from the timeframe/reference of the old, surrounding tissue. But, I doubt there is a "time dilation".

Time dilation refers to the old spaceship parked beside a black hole with a video camera trained on a clock in the space ship. There is also a monitor showing a clock on earth. The clock in the spaceship by the black hole is not moving where as the monitor shows the clock on Earth moving, somewhat rapidly, in relation to clock on the rocket ship.

What is it about gravity that does this to our sense of time/change?
 
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  • #32
baywax said:
What is it about gravity that does this to our sense of time/change?
I can give you a brief answer to this question, but your other questions regarding time dilation and tissue damage :rolleyes: should probably be asked in a new thread in the relativity forum.

Gravity is acceleration. Experiments producing differential time accumulations (differential 'aging') suggest that acceleration increases the periods of oscillators (thus decreasing the accumulation of oscillations, or slowing the aging process). The physical mechanism wrt how this happens is unknown.
 
  • #33
ThomasT said:
I can give you a brief answer to this question, but your other questions regarding time dilation and tissue damage :rolleyes: should probably be asked in a new thread in the relativity forum.

Gravity is acceleration. Experiments producing differential time accumulations (differential 'aging') suggest that acceleration increases the periods of oscillators (thus decreasing the accumulation of oscillations, or slowing the aging process). The physical mechanism wrt how this happens is unknown.

So this is why approaching and going the speed of light apparently causes the same effect... acceleration?
 

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