Is the arrow of time a mental construct?

[fuzzyfelt]

I think it is, but am sleep deprived (been flying for 24 hours). Its nagging me. Would anyone be happy to think, worry and explain about this, so I can go to bed?

 

[sameandnot]

Would anyone be happy to think, worry and explain about this, so I can go to bed?

of course it is. yet we invented it for a reason.

this kind of talk is no lullaby...
listen!... do you hear? silence!

swimming in silence is sleeping the kindest!

nighty-night

 

[fuzzyfelt]

thanks, how does it work in the brain, do you think?
...good night

 

[sameandnot]

my brother and two of my closest friends work for Harvard Medical School, doing studies on sleep; sleep research that is. they have found that light patterns directly affect circadian rhythem, over time, causing individuals to successfully adapt to various "light environments". for example, subjects were able to completely adapt to the day/night cycle of the Martian environment. (a test initiated by NASA). further, even blind people, with no eyes somehow adjust to light levels!

light seems to be a main factor in signaling the brain's response and consequent activity. i am not sure how to spell the mans name, but check out Dr. Seizler (or something like that) you will find him if you google: circadian biology or circadian research

he's The guy... i guess.

so time, though invented by the mind, is inherently connceted to light and variation from light to (relative) darkness.

im am off to swim in the silent sea, myself, now... goodnight!

 

[fuzzyfelt]

fascinating! I'll read into it more if I can when I awake, thanks again!

 

[fuzzyfelt]

sameandnot's answer has helped and is part of what I was asking about, but I have also found this already on this page https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=104516
from CosminaPrisma,
and this
http://cogprints.org/3125/
that is even more in line with what I was trying to express.
The introduction includes the statement that "The conclusion of physics, within both a historical and more recent context, that an objectively progressive time and present moment are derivative notions without physical foundations in nature, illustrate that these perceived chronological features originate from subjective conscious experience and the neurobiological processes underlying it."
Is that an accepted view?
Also, in its conclusion it says that our in built conception of a progressive present in time and conscious awareness are the same thing.
These are all I have been able to find so far that is closer to the question I trying to ask, and I would be grateful for any other papers or comments.

 

[PIT2]

There are people who experience flashbacks, slowmotion, timelessness, etc., but i have never heard of anyone experiencing events going backwards. They may have a flashback of their childhood, but its not that they see their childhood moving in the opposite direction, like a brick falling upwards where it came from.

 

[neurocomp2003]

"arrow of time" do you mean the physics/math based concept of motion?
or the human behaviour of memories and flashbacks and dreams?

 

[fuzzyfelt]

My appologies for a couple of things, the delay in replying ( still have ongoing computer problems) and for asking about something I didn’t have a clue about (and still not sure). With your help I’ve managed to get a slightly better grasp.

Quote
neurocomp2003
"arrow of time" do you mean the physics/math based concept of motion?
or the human behaviour of memories and flashbacks and dreams?

Thanks for distinguishing these, I wanted to mean is their anything about the latter and the neural processes involved in those and other temporal perceptions that sheds light on the former.

I asked the question with an sudden concern that my limited understanding of physical time was compounded by missing something obvious- some generally accepted understanding about how time is apprehended. The thought was this – that since our knowledge of time’s passing is the result of mental processes, then how much of our understanding is shaped by these processes?

I see that it is more complex than I had first assumed. Does any answer exist along a line between extemes of, (is the right?) a perspectivalist view, that things perceived are solely products of our minds, and the other extreme, that time we perceive is an accurate account of physical time or that time directly makes the time perceived.? I think Dennet argued against this last idea. As I still can’t understand how a telephone can possibly do this and make a noise that is unmistakably a friend’s voice on the other end, I’m personally not inclined to this view, but can reluctantly conceive it, given allowances for specious time and the time it takes to perceive and process time.

Somewhere midway between the extremes would be an idea that something time-like exists, is abstracted by translation into neural signals, and time’s passing is what we make of it?

Quote.
PIT2
There are people who experience flashbacks, slowmotion, timelessness, etc., but i have never heard of anyone experiencing events going backwards. They may have a flashback of their childhood, but its not that they see their childhood moving in the opposite direction, like a brick falling upwards where it came from.

Thanks. Do you think this would reinforce a notion that neural processes abstract time to a rather great degree, because of the seemingly inaccurate sequencing?

Also, I was wondering whether there was anything to be gleaned about the relationship of time and space from any relationship between how the two are processed.

I hope this post is clearer, and I would still like to be corrected or helped further.

 

[PIT2]

Thanks. Do you think this would reinforce a notion that neural processes abstract time to a rather great degree, because of the seemingly inaccurate sequencing?

I don't have a clue, but read this article:

Teach your brain to stretch time

MIKE HALL has taught himself to stretch time. He uses his powers to make him a better squash player. "It's hard to describe, but it's a feeling of stillness, like I'm not trapped in sequential time any more," he says. "The ball still darts around, but it moves around the court at different speeds depending on the circumstances. It's like I've stepped out of linear time."

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18925371.700

Its a pity we can't read it without paying, because it sounds very interesting. If this guy is able to change the speed at which he experiences events, then the matrix could actually be a true story

If anyone can find the whole article online, id appreciate it.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Thats great, thanks PIT2