What is time ?

DarSider · 04-13-2016, 07:47 PM

Hi everyone Biggrin

Maybe it'll interess some students or fans of physics/maths/philosophy here.
Newton didn't want to describe scientificly the notion of time, he and other famous scientists said that time is that think we all know and there is no scientific description for that.
But Einstein came with its relativity which made us think different, that time is relative and not absolute, where space and time are related creating a "space-time".

So i ask a question, or two. What is time ? Is "What is time ?" a scientific question or a philosophical one ?

My opinion/little answer : I think that time is an enigma which scientists didn't try to open yet (some of them are trying). The question is a scientific question and not a philosophical one, if the time is relative and not absolute so time has a far physical sense we didn't find yet.

What do you think about this ? Biggrin

pvnk · 04-13-2016, 10:19 PM

An arbitrary concept of measurement.

Oni · 04-13-2016, 10:27 PM

(04-13-2016, 10:19 PM)Primitive Wrote: An arbitrary concept of measurement.

Arbitrary how?

PLX-2M · 04-13-2016, 11:34 PM

The way I see it time is the perception of distance between events.

m0dem · 04-13-2016, 11:45 PM

Time is like a mathematical line.

m0dem · 04-14-2016, 01:34 AM

(04-14-2016, 01:29 AM)Nana Wrote: A line is infinite, time is not.

What is time?

meow · 04-14-2016, 02:13 AM

A man-made concept of the speed at which humans perceive events.

PLX-2M · 04-14-2016, 02:20 AM

(04-14-2016, 02:13 AM)meow Wrote: A man-made concept of the speed at which humans perceive events.

It's definitely not man-made...according to the modern physics.

meow · 04-14-2016, 02:53 AM

(04-14-2016, 02:20 AM)PLX-2M Wrote: It's definitely not man-made...according to the modern physics.

If you're talking about the concept of seconds, minutes, etc, then it certainly is man-made. For example, flies perceive events that are much quicker than humans, because time passes more slowly for them. Nice try though.

If you're talking about the concept of space-time fabric, then obviously it isn't man made.

PLX-2M · 04-14-2016, 02:54 AM

(04-14-2016, 02:53 AM)meow Wrote: If you're talking about the concept of seconds, minutes, etc, then it certainly is man-made. For example, flies perceive events that are much quicker than humans, because time passes more slowly for them.

If you're talking about the concept of space-time fabric, then obviously it isn't man made.

OK, then we agree =-]

What is time ?
Author Message