Time Real or Not? - Arguments For & Against

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In summary, there is an ongoing debate within the scientific community about the existence of time as a dimension. There are arguments for and against its existence, but the majority of theories point towards its non-existence.
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trevor white
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There appears to be an ongoing bias towards the existence of time as a dimension. Yet clearly there is an ongoing argument within the scientific community about it's existence. What are the arguments for and against times existence, As even after extensive reading including
Einstein-Minkowski Spacetime. and other related theories over the last 4 years most of the theoretical constructs appear to point clearly towards it's non existence.
 
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trevor white said:
There appears to be an ongoing bias towards the existence of time as a dimension.
I'm not sure "bias" is the right word, but yes, the mainstream science position is that time is a dimension.
Yet clearly there is an ongoing argument within the scientific community about it's existence.
I don't think that's true. Could you provide examples of such discussion?
 
  • #3
trevor white said:
There appears to be an ongoing bias towards the existence of time as a dimension.
Time is a dimension in some geometrical interpretations of physical theories. Whether that constitutes "existence" is a purely semantical question, not a physical one.
 
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  • #4
russ_watters said:
I'm not sure "bias" is the right word, but yes, the mainstream science position is that time is a dimension.

I don't think that's true. Could you provide examples of such discussion?
Smolin vs. Susskind. Smolin's advocacy of a background-independent physics. Smolin's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Reborn
  • All that is real is real in a moment, which is a succession of moments. Anything that is true is true of the present moment.
  • Everything that is real in a moment is a process of change leading to the next or future moments. Anything that is true is then a feature of a process in this process causing or implying future moments.
Smolin asks that time as essential and space as emergent be considered.
 
  • #5
trevor white said:
There appears to be an ongoing bias towards the existence of time as a dimension. Yet clearly there is an ongoing argument within the scientific community about it's existence. What are the arguments for and against times existence, As even after extensive reading including Einstein-Minkowski Spacetime. and other related theories over the last 4 years most of the theoretical constructs appear to point clearly towards it's non existence.

Physics is a mathematical model. Time is naturally modeled as a parameter in our equations - I wouldn't call such a bias.

And of course it exists - clocks exist, and time, in physics, is what clocks measure.

Does it emerge from something deeper - quite likely IMHO - but I don't think there is any kind of consensus right now on exactly what that is.

Thanks
Bill
 
  • #6
Doug Huffman said:
  • All that is real is real in a moment, which is a succession of moments. Anything that is true is true of the present moment.
  • Everything that is real in a moment is a process of change leading to the next or future moments. Anything that is true is then a feature of a process in this process causing or implying future moments.

I think such metaphysical gobblely gook illuminates nothing.

Time is simply what a clock measures - nothing hard about it.

Thanks
Bill
 
  • #7
bhobba said:
Time is simply what a clock measures - nothing hard about it.

Bhobba is right. As far as science (which is what we talk about here) is concerned, it really is that simple.

Time to close this thread.
 

1. Is time real or just a human construct?

There is ongoing debate among scientists and philosophers about the nature of time. Some argue that time is a fundamental aspect of the universe, while others believe it is a concept created by humans to help us understand and measure the passage of events. Ultimately, the answer to this question may depend on one's perspective and definition of "real."

2. What scientific evidence supports the existence of time?

Many scientific theories and experiments support the idea that time is a real phenomenon. For example, the theory of relativity explains how time can change depending on an observer's frame of reference. Additionally, experiments involving atomic clocks have demonstrated that time passes differently in different gravitational fields. These and other findings suggest that time is not just a human construct, but a fundamental aspect of the universe.

3. Can time travel be possible?

The concept of time travel is a popular topic in science fiction, but there is no scientific evidence to suggest that it is possible. The laws of physics, such as the conservation of energy and causality, make it unlikely that time travel could occur. However, some theoretical physicists have proposed the idea of "wormholes" or other phenomena that could potentially allow for time travel, but these are still just theories and have not been proven.

4. What are the arguments against the existence of time?

One of the main arguments against the existence of time is that it is a human construct and does not exist independently in the universe. Some philosophers argue that there is no such thing as the "present" moment, as it is constantly shifting and cannot be pinned down. Additionally, the concept of time can be difficult to define and understand, leading some to question its existence.

5. How does the concept of time relate to the concept of space?

Since the theory of relativity, it has been understood that time and space are closely intertwined and cannot be separated. The theory states that time and space are part of a four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime. This means that both time and space are affected by gravity and other forces, and cannot exist independently from one another.

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