Time as Dimension: Before & After Einstein's G.T.R.

[karkas]

Since when is Time considered to be a dimension?

Is it after Einstein's G.T.R. or was it considered to be one before it?

 

[A.T.]

Since when is Time considered to be a dimension?

Is it after Einstein's G.T.R. or was it considered to be one before it?

People have used diagrams with time as a dimension long before Einstein/Minkowski. For example in order to visualize movement with a static diagram. There is nothing special about considering a physical quantity to be a dimension. But in GR it proves very useful.

 

[fleem]

The concept of "dimension" and "vector" is just a way for us to keep from mixing different units and also to more easily define any transforms of conserved quantities that there might be between those dimensions, if any. For example, in a Euclidean space, transforms preserve distance. Also, one can imagine spaces in which the transforms are different depending on the particular dimensions involved.

 

[brachid]

Well ... first of all .. what is "dimension"? Whenever you use time or any other physical quantity as the component of some vector (including space components), is it enough to consider it as a dimension ?