- #1
runner
- 27
- 0
when did it become the past? when does it become the future? finally, how long does it last?
When Does Time Change and What Does It Mean for the Present?
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the concept of time, specifically focusing on the definitions and implications of the "present," "past," and "future." Participants explore philosophical and physical interpretations of these terms, questioning their nature and how they relate to human perception and experience.
Discussion Character
- Philosophical question
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- Some participants question when the present becomes the past and whether the future can be defined, suggesting that context plays a significant role in these definitions.
- One participant argues that the present is an instantaneous quantity that ends as soon as it begins.
- Another participant highlights that our memories and opinions of the past change over time, raising doubts about the reliability of the present moment.
- There is a discussion about the nature of a "moment," with some suggesting it has no length or duration, while others seek to define it in the context of the current time.
- One viewpoint references Einstein's perspective that the present may not exist as a distinct moment, proposing that all moments in time simply exist simultaneously.
- Participants also engage in a light-hearted exchange about the concept of "present" in the context of gifts, illustrating how the present can be perceived differently based on context and anticipation.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express a range of views on the nature of the present, past, and future, with no consensus reached. Some argue for a more philosophical interpretation, while others focus on the physical aspects, leading to ongoing debate and exploration of the topic.
Contextual Notes
Discussions include varying definitions of "moment" and the implications of context on the understanding of time. The interplay between subjective experience and objective definitions remains unresolved.
- #2
CompuChip
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
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The present became the past now. It doesn't become the future. How long it lasts depends on context (cf. "when I say now, now is not now anymore", "presently, it's my birthday" and "present day politics")
- #3
colloquium
- 6
- 0
Well, of course, there is the past which we are aware of, but our opinions and memories of the past change over time, they are modified through new information or just fade as our brains age. The future, undoubtedly, is a question mark - all we have is our best guess.
So I would conclude from such evidence that all we truly and absolutely have is the "now" - however if that too is often later refuted, how reliable can it be? As the old saying goes "if only I'd known then what I know now". The "then" is the problem. The erronous component. But of course this "now" I'm literally experiencing will soon be a "then" and no doubt I'll find some way to lament what I, in the most direct sense possible at this time, have written, regardless of how certain I feel of it.
So I would conclude from such evidence that all we truly and absolutely have is the "now" - however if that too is often later refuted, how reliable can it be? As the old saying goes "if only I'd known then what I know now". The "then" is the problem. The erronous component. But of course this "now" I'm literally experiencing will soon be a "then" and no doubt I'll find some way to lament what I, in the most direct sense possible at this time, have written, regardless of how certain I feel of it.
- #4
robertm
- 291
- 0
The "Present" is quite simply an instantaneous quantity. It ends the instant that it begins.
- #5
runner
- 27
- 0
is there any way to measure how long that moment lasts?
- #6
CompuChip
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
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Physical question: What moment?
Philosophical question: Define "moment" (isn't that by definition something without length / duration?)!
Philosophical question: Define "moment" (isn't that by definition something without length / duration?)!
- #7
madness
- 813
- 69
The Einsteinian view is that there is no such thing as the present - all moments in time simply exist. I think our perception of a "present" may be to do with our own consciousness and how we percieve reality.
- #8
Crosson
- 1,256
- 4
The "present" is not the name of anything, don't reify it.
- #9
maverick_starstrider
- 1,118
- 7
The present is what I get at christmas
- #10
g33kski11z
- 54
- 0
.. and to expand on what Maverick said...
it becomes that past when you have moved on to another present to open, leaving the initial present under the tree. {or whatever}runner said:
if its a toy/gift that you will one day give to a little brother {like a bike} its the future for him..runner said:
depending on the size of the gift.. but my boy usually unwraps his stuff in seconds..runner said:
- #11
runner
- 27
- 0
CompuChip said:
by moment is meant the point in time that is now.
- #12
runner
- 27
- 0
g33kski11z said:
like a future present?
- #13
g33kski11z
- 54
- 0
exactly... like buying something and wrapping it, but if you haven't presented it to the person yet, its a "future gift" ... lolok, way off topic.
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