Couple of question about time...

1. Is time continuous, or is it made up of individual frames (like a motion picture) ?

2. Does the present even exist and if so how long does it last ?

Well, I would say time is continuous, and no there is actually no "present".
For if time is on a constant flow forward every moment is the future.

Thats just my opinion, if it even made sence,



My head hurts.

Time is the history of light. Period. Time is man made to keep track of light.



[edit on 7-7-2004 by SpittinCobra]

You do have a point Cobra, "Time" itself is man made, but things do change.

So smokeapot, do you me "Time" as a man made term, or change as in the setting of the sun and aging of cells?

My guess is that time is continuous, but the rate at which it passes varies. This is based on the observation that whenever and to whomever I say something like "this day will never end" or "I can't believe it's already 4:00", they almost always agree. I think this is totally independent of the "time flies when you're having fun" thing which is just the perception of 'faster' time. This theory brings up the question "How long does it take to get from 3AM to 5PM?"

If time is actually continuous, no discreet point in time would ever exist, including the present.

My head kinda hurts too.

Thats all in your head, or who every said it. The Sun is the most constent thing we know. What is a better thing to base time on. How can you look up at the Sun at noon and it will be in the same place everyday. We move not the sun,light, time.

The sun was a bad example. Though aging of cells is not. Those cells change, and will not be exactly the same as yesterday. I was just pointing out there is a bit of difference between "time" and change.

And yes i know "yesterday" is a man made mesurement of time.






[edit] Typos...

[edit on 7-7-2004 by Xayden]

I mean the time that governs movement.

I think motion is impossible without time.

And I go so far to speculate that time is made up of countless still frames-where in between every frame the entire universe is broken down and rearanged to look like the next frame.

Does that make any sense ?

Time is just a word that is assocatied with something else. No more no less. Time controls nothing.


It takes like 8 min for light from the sun to reach us. If the light was blocked then there would be a change in the constent.

"1. Is time continuous, or is it made up of individual frames (like a motion picture) ? "


I think time is motion, and continuous, but varies.

Think about the big bang theory. In the center, time stood still, near the center, in 'older' galaxies, time slowed and became more constant, as the younger gallaxies were still forming and moving faster thru space than the older ones wich formed and slowed and became more constant.

err, sumtin', hell I dunno, I'm stoned.

Originally posted by smokapot
1. Is time continuous, or is it made up of individual frames (like a motion picture) ?

On a macro-scale time is continuous. In special and general relativity time and space become one thing called spacetime. This makes time and space mixable, depending on the reference frame you measure in. Because space is not continuous in quantum mechanics, but has small frames of the Planck length, time must be frame-like as well.

This goes against classical general relativity. In classical general relativity, spacetime is a Riemann manifold. This means it is continuous and differentiable. To solve the conflict we need new theories about quantum gravity. Spacetime is 'vague' and 'bubbly' on a very small scale (much smaller than atoms), a spin foam. That would mean time is frame-like on a scale of about 10^-43 s (if I remember correctly).

Originally posted by smokapot
1. Is time continuous, or is it made up of individual frames (like a motion picture) ?

2. Does the present even exist and if so how long does it last ?

Time is how you perceive, your existence, in the univerese, from one self defined moment to the next. You can perceive time as frames, or a continuous movement depending on how you yourself chose to reference it in your own mind.

Most of us use a similar time scale that we have been taught to use, but its an option to use it. If you were never taught to understand a second or hour you would have learned to define time on your own terms.

To me there is only action and reaction and perception. Before we could think, only action and reaction happened in the univerese. When the first beings in the univerese were able to perceive their own existence, they defind time in their own terms.

TImne only exists in our minds.

That is my theory, and that hurt so time for another beer

X

[edit on 7-7-2004 by Xeven]

Time is your life, the fact that we experience it is exceptional.

Smokeapot: Take a look at these sites it might help you in nsweing your question.

www.physlink.com...
www.sciam.com...

Mynaeris

Thanks for the links very interesting.

I didn't know I was asking about time quantization.

Anyway, If time is quantized does it mean that eventually someone could show that the smallest unit of time [ lets say 10(-44)] could be broken up further? Much like the way scientist thought the atom was the smallest block of matter.

Originally posted by smokapot
1. Is time continuous, or is it made up of individual frames (like a motion picture) ?

I'm not sure that is the best way to label it, or best set of choices to choose from. It's only going to make things worse, like asking is a movie 'Continuous' or 'Frames'? It's 'Continuous Frames'. The entire movie is One Continuous Strip of Film but without Individual Frames it is not a Movie. Neither are the Frames by themselves without being on the Continuous Strip of Film. So depending on your preference it's 'Both' or 'Neither' or perhaps even 'One or the Other'.

Personally, I'd probably label 'Time' as "An Observed Measurement of Change". Since that pretty much breaks it down to 'An Observer', 'The Observed', & 'The Observation' itself. So far we are unable to separate the Observer from the Observed and still have some kind of Observation and until we do I'd say that is as good a definition as any in the most all encompassing general meaning. I'm not sure how you could make it any more simple, yet there are many ways you can make it more specific or detailed.

2. Does the present even exist and if so how long does it last ?

Well, IMO, Yes the present does exist although most people never realize it completely. Our Present is actually a construct of memories and concepts and things like that which interpret and give individual or perspective meaning to the actual present so that we can relate to it. Living or realizing the true Present in the Fullest sense would mean losing any reference whatsoever to any Past or Future. There would be only The Present which, Philosophically speaking, is Timeless, Eternal, Without End or Beginning, Ever Present, All Encompassing, Tao, Zen, Godhead, Nirvana, Nothing and Everything, Zero and Infinity, so on and so forth, insert appropriate term or whatever is most comfortable for you personally.

That being said, it should give you some insight to what many people, cultures, etc. mean when they say that we live in a dream world that exists only in our minds. Also, the powerful meaning behind "Carpe Diem" or Seize the Day, Live in the Here and Now, Live the Moment, there is nothing else, etc. etc. etc.

Where Information is the sum of all matter and forces
Where Entropy is the direct consequence of change
Entropy=-(1/Time*Information)
-1*Entropy=1/Time*Information
-1*Information*Entropy=1/Time
Therefore
Time=-(1/Information*Entropy)
Time is the negative reciprocal product of Information and Entropy.

Ok, but you can't blame me for trying

Smokapot is leaving the building (going camping in VT)
I shall return to continue this thread

Thank you ALL for your repleys !