Evidence for the existence of time.

What is it? I want to know what non man-made empirical evidence there is for the concept of "time"... any universal measurement? Any way to harness time, or observe it? Any proof of a 4th dimension, or is it purely theoretical at this point?

I am CLEARLY not an expert on the field of time research.

 

Time is such an abstract concept.. I don't believe you can prove it does or doesn't exist, and any attempt to do so would be futile.

 

Read this.

 

Ah, radioactive decay, maybe!?!?

The Red Shift?

Uncertainty?

Thermodynamics??

You're kidding, right?

 

Time is an observed delay in the propagation of energy defined as a period. Time is observed by all, its observation is predictable regardless of actual period values. Its existence is without a doubt empirical. Neither mass or energy would exist without time as they are a function of time. If Time = 0 then Mass and Energy also = 0. This may have THEORETICALLY happened for exactly 0 seconds at the dimensional intersection they call the Big Bang...

-BUT- If it happened for exactly zero seconds did it HAPPEN at all?

 

Evidence for the existence of time, eh? We can measure it. If it didn't exist, we wouldn't be able to measure it. Therefore it exists.

 

Scientologists measure thetans

 

I'm going have to remember this for the next time I'm late for work.

"Dude, 7am is such an abstract concept, I don't think you can prove that it exists man."

 

Damn it, nobody answered my question. Well the answer is there is no such thing as exactly zero, just like there is no such thing as nothing. Those are just concepts.

 

relaxxx, matter is a concept too and there is no evidence for it in reality. Time is a concept and similarly, no evidence. What are you expecting here?

 

I'm not looking for that tired old spiritual consciousness nonsense that's for sure! Matter might be a secondary form of energy but it's existence is a fact to any sane human being. If you think it's only a concept then jump off the nearest skyscraper and let your spirit free.

Time, energy and space are three things you can be damn sure exist. Or you might say time and space are one thing... Your mind would never have came into existence without them, matter would never exist without them. Anyone who disagrees with that is just plain clueless in fantasy land.

 

Watch Through The Wormhole.

There is an entire episode dedicated to this.

Personally, I didn't agree with it, but it's neat to hear other views.

 

There's some stupid ideas toward the end of that episode. I agree that one moment in time is a different configuration of the universe than the next but it does not mean they ALL exist at once. If I have one jar of marbles and shake them around a bit, can I now claim that I have TWO jars of marbles? The exact configuration of the universe 24 hours ago or 5 minutes ago does not exist ANYWHERE in the universe NOW. The universe WAS not as different 5 minutes ago as it was 24 hours ago because of entropy. Energy is always in propagation otherwise it would NOT be energy. Time is essentially the observation of this propagation. We can perceive the dimension of time because we have memories. Energy would not exist without time as time would not exist without energy and space would have no meaning or definition without either. Our perception of time is relative to the speed and direction of energy around us.

 

Unless the mind doesn't exist. I think therefore I am?

 

Mark a moment with a stop watch, wait an hour, stop the stop watch, reflect on what you did in between when you started the clock and when you stopped it. Reflecting on the events that occurred during that hour bring forth the obvious fact that there was a distance in between then and now. We call the distance 'time'.

I've often pondered the hypothetical situation in which we discover alien life. These aliens are light years ahead of us and have been to the actual center of our universe. The center emits a low frequency pulse with even intervals in between each one. With their advanced mathematics and science they calculate how long its been 'ticking' and might even figure out how it started...but we wont go there for the sake of keeping things simple. Anyway, the aliens adopt this rhythm as 'true universe time' and tell us all about it. What they have named it, the rhythm of which it 'ticks' and what the actual universe time is based on their findings.

Would we ever adopt our clocks and calendars to the new discovery? Probably not. Whether time exists or doesn't exist. Whether it is off a little, or a lot. It is something that keeps the world in a fairly synchronized rhythm, and just about everyone abides by it and will until its over...until the last being dies and there is no one to perceive it as we do. Then 'time' as we know it will be gone but the distance in between events and occurrences will still exist. There will just be no one around to call it 'time', and no one to record what happens in 'history'.

Another thing that bothers me about 'time' as a concept is the fact that its one of the few areas where science and faith meet and continue to work without feud. '2011 AD'? Bullshit. Its 4,600,423,004 for all we know and no body with proven fact, can say that it is any different. Aside from the fact that it is widely used and accepted.

 

interesting....

 

Time?
There is no such thing as time. That is time as so many of us think about it.
Many of us are focused on the future, thinking about those things that are to come.
We lack a complete self-awareness of the present. As such we live incomplete lives. We have turned off a full awareness of the present and our existence in the here and now.

 

What do you mean? I'm sitting here now, at this minute in time, in my life, enjoying the forum and ice cream and the radio. Im making the most of my time at this minute and loving it.

 

I agree. To be "aware" of the present don't you have to be constantly referring to the past? Otherwise you would have no idea what you are being aware of. You are only aware you're eating ice-cream because your parents taught you what ice-cream looked like and you recognise the taste from the previous times you ate it.

 

Aging and decay? Is that proof enough of time?