What is time, and what is then is ?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of time, exploring its nature, significance, and the philosophical implications of understanding what time is. Participants delve into both theoretical and philosophical aspects, questioning the necessity of knowing what time is for practical living and its role in various contexts such as physics and daily life.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the fundamental nature of time, suggesting that without a clear understanding of what time is, one cannot fully engage with its implications in life and various fields like physics and chemistry.
  • Another participant argues that it is possible to live without knowing what time is, as recognizing causal relationships allows one to measure differences in time between events without a precise definition of time.
  • A different viewpoint posits that time might be defined as "not," suggesting a more abstract interpretation of its existence.
  • Some participants propose that "is" could relate to the concept of existing within time, indicating a philosophical exploration of existence and presence in relation to time.
  • There is a reiteration that time cannot be an object within itself, as it serves as a reference for all other objects.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of time and its necessity for living. While some agree on the abstract nature of time, others challenge the sufficiency of these definitions, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Participants explore various philosophical interpretations of time and existence, with some statements remaining abstract and lacking concrete definitions. The discussion reflects a range of assumptions and interpretations that are not universally accepted.

Langbein
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What is time, and what is then "is" ?

What is time ? I think I have some variants of this question in some tread before, but at lest not with a clear answer behind it.

The tirm time is used in many conjunctions like for calculating physics and in chemistry. I think one can say that no application of time, there would be no physics, no chemesty, no turning around of the planet, and no life.

Also if someone does a job they might be paid per hour, and if you do something terrible bad you will have to go into prison for a certain amount or length of "time".

But if "time" is such an important "thing" how can it then be possible to live ones life without knowing what time is ?

If you go to the bank and the bank man says to you: That will be 200 dollars to pay as interests for the one year f time .. can you just ask: What is time, and then when the bank man says .. well .. So then you can say: You don't know what time is, you take paid for something you don't know what is, so there will be no interests at all.

If time should happen to be something, the one or the other thing, what will then this small little word "is" mean ?

What will it mean that something "is" something else.

By the way, as sitting here playing with some philosophy, I have to days left before I have to go to work, but how can I know this, and how can I know that tomorrow will come at all, when I don't know what time is ?

Is it possible to live at all without knowing what time is ?
 
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Langbein said:
Is it possible to live at all without knowing what time is ?
Yes, of course it is. If one recognises causal relationships, then one does not need to know what time is, but merely note that one can measure differences in time between different events on one's worldline.
 
Well, I some way I think I do agree.

The most pricese answer I believe I can find, when thinking it over might be something like this:

Question: "What is time" ? Answer: "Time is not"

Then there is this more difficult one: What is "is" ?

Could the answer be something: "Is" is to "do time" .. or

"To exist is to be present in time" ?

Or to move the words around a little bit:

"Time itself can not be present as a object in time, as time is the reference that all other objects are referring to."
 
Last edited:
Langbein said:
Question: "What is time" ? Answer: "Time is not"

That's not an answer though, it's just an abstract statement!
 
Just another way of saying this:

"Time itself can not be present as a object in time, as time is the reference that all other objects are referring to."
 

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