Is there a unified understanding of time and its dimensions?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Mihael@@/&
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Time
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the understanding of time and its potential multidimensional nature. Participants explore various perspectives on time, its relationship to gravity, and its treatment in theoretical frameworks such as general relativity. The conversation touches on both conceptual and speculative aspects of time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire whether there is a simplified or unified understanding of time.
  • One participant suggests that time may be regarded as a multidimensional constant, prompting questions about the meaning of that term.
  • Another participant expresses interest in the role of time as a supporter of gravity, alongside mass and space.
  • A participant asserts that for scientists and engineers, there is no struggle with the understanding of time, emphasizing a need for specific questions rather than speculation.
  • One contribution posits that time is akin to another spatial dimension, while another counters this by highlighting the distinct nature of time in the context of relativity and the Lorentzian metric signature.
  • There is a request for recommended reading on the topic, indicating a desire for further exploration of the concepts discussed.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of time, with some suggesting it is similar to spatial dimensions, while others argue against this notion, emphasizing the distinct characteristics of time in physics. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views present.

Contextual Notes

Some statements reflect uncertainty about terminology and concepts, such as "multidimensional constant," and there are references to the complexity of understanding time in relation to gravity and spacetime. The discussion also highlights the challenges of speculation versus established scientific understanding.

Mihael@@/&
Messages
37
Reaction score
0
Thanks for the interest, and second, I have an issue.
Joining you from the general discussion, so please, be permissive.
For general questions, usually, everyone tries to find information on wikipedia.org but on this one, I would rather wait for the answer here.

Is there any simplified or unified understanding of time?
Any related links will be appreciated.

Is time regarded as a multidimensional constant?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
We have had numerous threads all over PF on "What is time?" Many of these threads have very unpleasant fate, which were either being locked, or completely deleted. This topic appears to attract way too many speculations and some time even outright crackpottery.

I would suggest you do a search first on all the various threads that are left on this very topic.

Zz.
 
Mihael@@/& said:
Is time regarded as a multidimensional constant?

What do you mean by "multidimensional constant"? I've never seen that term before.
 
I'm interested in time as the supporter of gravity, other supporter being the mass/space. Few people had a struggle for less than hundred years and now we have general understanding of mass/space. Let the struggle for understanding of time continue between more people.
 
For scientists/engineers, there really is no "struggle" with the understanding of time. Do you have a specific question? Please note: this is not a place for speculation about new theories.

No offense, but your posts look like gibberish. Not sure if that is a language issue.
 
None taken. I did not wanted to speculate nor to bring forth new theories. Found my answer, thanks for the positive criticism, I will try to improve my English : )
 
Mihael@@/& said:
Thanks for the interest, and second, I have an issue.
Joining you from the general discussion, so please, be permissive.
For general questions, usually, everyone tries to find information on wikipedia.org but on this one, I would rather wait for the answer here.

Is there any simplified or unified understanding of time?
Any related links will be appreciated.

Is time regarded as a multidimensional constant?

your answer lies in the "general theory of relativity" by Einstein. Time is in no sense different compared to the x-axis of space(just like the x-axis is no different than the y-axis, or the z-axis in exclusiveness/identity). The universe is a complex distorted 'spacetime'.
 
Time is just another spatial dimension, as I see it. We only perceive if as constantly moving forward because our consciousnesses are formed from differences in its topology over a span of coordinates. I equate its seeming seemlessness to the same forces that make multiple atom thick layers of a rock seem almost identical at a macroscopic scale.
 
JesusInACan said:
Time is just another spatial dimension, as I see it.

This is just plain wrong. If this were the case, we would live in a Euclidean universe devoid of all the rich physics of relativity. The fact that time is NOT like the other spatial dimensions, as exemplified by the lorentzian metric signature, is extraordinarily important. Often times when discussing relativity we praise the unification of space and time, but one cannot forget that the two are in fact distinct.
 
  • #10
Is that just to make it easier to comprehend?

Do you have any recommended reading?
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
5K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
5K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K