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Dremmer
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Why do you think that's the case?
Why do lots of people think time isn't real?
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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of time and how it is perceived by humans. One argument is that time is not real, but rather a human construct to make understanding physical concepts easier. Others argue that time is as real as space, but it may be an emergent reality. Ultimately, the concept of time remains a philosophical and psychological question rather than a physics one.
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I didn't know it WAS the case. Why do you think it's the case? Take all the time you want to answer.
- #3
HallsofIvy
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Perhaps because there are lots of foolish people?
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We perceive time by change. Memory is changes in your brain. Given a shuffled sequence of snapshots of the universe, your own state included, you would always perceive them in the 'right' order. So there does not appear to be any need for an actual passage of time. What does matter is that adjacent states exist with consistent relationships. See e.g. Julian Barbour's "The End of Time"
Another reason is that quantum mechanics can be formulated in a manner in which time does not feature.
No doubt there are other arguments. Several philosophers down the millennia have said similar, St Augustine for one.
Another reason is that quantum mechanics can be formulated in a manner in which time does not feature.
No doubt there are other arguments. Several philosophers down the millennia have said similar, St Augustine for one.
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256bits
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I suppose we could add another aspect philisophically speaking and say the converse is aslo true - We perceive change by the passage of time.
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ZxcvbnM2000
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I believe that whether something is real or not depends on your perspective. Humans created the concept of time in order to make the understanding of physical concepts easier.But nature doesn't "know" what time , velocity,mass etc are so for nature these quantities are imaginary.
It's just like the question : Does God exist ? Well i can't say yes or no but , from the peoples point of view yes it exists, it exists in their minds.No one can say if it exists beyond that.
It's just like the question : Does God exist ? Well i can't say yes or no but , from the peoples point of view yes it exists, it exists in their minds.No one can say if it exists beyond that.
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Khashishi
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I don't think that the belief that time is not real (or at least not fundamental) is foolish, although a lot of fools believe that time is not real.
Time is as real as space. But maybe all of spacetime is some kind of emergent reality which we perceive on top of a universe with a different geometry. I just got finished reading Penrose's _A Road To Reality_, so twistor theory is on my mind. In this theory, the space of events on spacetime is not fundamental, and it is instead the null intervals that make up points in the fundamental space.
Time is as real as space. But maybe all of spacetime is some kind of emergent reality which we perceive on top of a universe with a different geometry. I just got finished reading Penrose's _A Road To Reality_, so twistor theory is on my mind. In this theory, the space of events on spacetime is not fundamental, and it is instead the null intervals that make up points in the fundamental space.
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256bits said:
Not really. We cannot perceive the passage of time directly. We only perceive it by change, and we only perceive change by virtue of memory.
- #9
jtbell
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Ohhh nooooo, not another "what is time" thread! 
https://www.physicsforums.com/blog.php?b=3106
https://www.physicsforums.com/blog.php?b=3106
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jtbell said:Ohhh nooooo, not another "what is time" thread!
https://www.physicsforums.com/blog.php?b=3106
I agree. I think it's time a mod called time-out on these pesky time posts.
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- #11
Dale
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The question as posed is not a physics question, but rather a psychology question.
- #12
Vanadium 50
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Agreed. This is not physics.
FAQ: Why do lots of people think time isn't real?
1. Why do some people believe that time is a human construct?
Some people believe that time is a human construct because it is a concept that is created and measured by humans. It is not tangible and cannot be seen or touched, making it more of a theoretical concept rather than a physical entity.
2. What evidence supports the idea that time may not be real?
One piece of evidence that supports the idea that time is not real is the theory of relativity, which states that time is relative and can be affected by various factors such as gravity and motion. Additionally, the concept of time is not consistent across cultures and can differ depending on one's perception and experience.
3. Can time be measured objectively?
While we have developed methods and tools to measure time, such as clocks and calendars, these are still based on human constructs and are not objective measures. Time is a subjective experience and can differ from person to person.
4. How does the concept of time impact our daily lives?
The concept of time helps us to organize and structure our daily lives, such as scheduling appointments and planning events. However, it can also cause stress and anxiety as we try to keep up with the passing of time and meet deadlines.
5. Is it possible for time to be an illusion?
Some scientists and philosophers argue that time may be an illusion because it is not a physical entity and can only be perceived subjectively. However, this is still a topic of debate and it is important to continue researching and studying the concept of time to gain a better understanding of its nature.