Question Home

Position:Home>Philosophy> Does Time Exist? Or is it really just human perception?


Question: Does Time Exist!? Or is it really just human perception!?
If the past is only memories and if the future is only expectations then how is it real!?What about the present!? The present's neither an expectation nor a memory, it doesn't exist in mind or thought, it just is!. Is time just human perception!? Does our mind make time "real"!? If its our mind that makes things real though, then the present cant be real either, right!? If there were no living or rather sentient organisms in our universe would there be any time!? I guess this is one of those "tree-falling-in-a-forest" type questions with no answer but I'd like to hear your thoughts and opinions!. No right or wrong here!.

I base this question on St!.Augustine's theory of time!. I didn't come up with this idea, just expanded a little!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
here's the deal if you've indulged yourself in the physics and astrophysics world:

time is a matter of where you are and what you are!. here on earth as humans we percieve time as now!. however in space traveling as a space station or a ship or what not time is altered!.!.!. as a matter of fact scientists of nasa had to alter the clocks frequencies on the ships to adjust for the differences of time in space!.

einstein said and its proven in a sense!.!.!.!.if you travel at the speed of light the time you experience is different then that of the people on earth!. so imagine the variables that exist amungst our galaxy not to mention the galaxies amung galaxies!.!.!.

there's a theory now that if you take multiple lasers and bend them with mirrors in a circle you create what's known as a plane of difference between real time and time between light!.!.!.simply put!.!.!.light not only bends in one of those fancy tryangle diamond thingies!.!.!.but it bends in time!.!.!.so with the circle laser light thing if you were to do it accurately you would create a time machine!.!.!.meaning if you create it!.!.!.the people in the future (you several years after creating it) could send a small object through like a ring or something and it would show up!. thats assuming you had electronic control over when and where the object flowed through the time portal!.!.!.!.however time isn't what you percieve it to be!. its not this level of existence rather its just simply a measurement!. kinda like the distance you throw a ball or how far a sound can travel!.

we as humans perceive time as "now" however its really just the 4th+ dimension!.

if you indulge yourself on the theory of the upper dimensions there's a small story ill share with you and its about the people of the 2d world!.!.!.

they live in this world where everything is 2d (meaning there is an x and y coordanate only) they can move left right forward and diagnally etc!.!.!.however one day you stick your 3 dimensional finger into their world and they only see the point where your finger intersects with their 2d world!.!.!.(if you still follow me keep reading) to the 2d people you are a circle!.!.!.that alters in width as the finger penetrates deeper or extrudes!. however if you take the 2d person and throw them off a 3d cliff they see a whole new world!.!.!.they see a world below them and in their mind they don't understand what the hell is going on because they are used to 2d!. the experience of the land comming closer as they fall is so foreign its like being on a gravitron (that ride that spins for hours on end) for 5 hours then being thrown into a hall of mirrors after drinking more than 21 shots on your 21st birthday!. mind blowing!.

so imagine the 4th dimension!.!.!.or imagine more than 4 dimensions!.!.!.we are 3d so we can move forward backwords left right and diagnolly and we can jump which is the Z coordinate (x, y , z) but the 4th dimension and beyond is not only time travel in a simple action such as movement but there's more!.!.!.!.what's after time travel!? we can't even possibly comprehend what the 9th dimension is let alone the 50th!.!.!.imagine the 50th!.!.!.that's like having a seizure and tripping on acid while eating chinese food through your toe while your head is on the moon and your foot is on jupiter!. the plane of existence is so beyond time!.!.!.time is our 4d!.!.!.and remember how ignorant the 2d man is!.!.!.in the world of 4d they are talkin about us 3d people like "wow he can't time travel with just a though !.!.!.that guy is a tool"

mindblowing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

time is a dimension, not a quality or force!. time exist in the same way that up, down, left and right do!.

The nature of the universe means that we can only record memories in a linear direction in time!. Things before now have been remembered and nothing else and so the future seems to be nonexistent because we are not able to experience it!.

Interesting thoughts though!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Time is an underlying parameter in many physics equations such a radiometric decay and the speed of light, for example!. That would suggest that time is an integral part of the physical universe, and therefore definitely real!. The devices that measure time, measure time because they are based on physical equations that are dependent on time!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Time is an illusion that serves a useful purpose!. Time does not really exist, there is only "now"!. In one or more of the alternate universes that we share space with tomorrow is happening this instanct!. So is yesterday!. In fact, every instant in every time period is happpening in infinite universes this very instant!. It can get complicated,!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Time, as far as clocks go, with minutes and hours is a man made thing!. But time does exist, we get old/older with every passing day!. If there was no time literally we I suppose would never grow old, that would suck to live forever!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Time exists as much as up and down, left and right and diagonal exist!. Time is the 4th dimension, one we are always moving along!. Time exists, because time is always moving!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

Human perception!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Time is what humans use to measure the days, months, and years!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

RAMMMONe My watch says time is real and put your bong down hippieWww@QuestionHome@Com

Time does not exist!. It is a means by which humans can function together in a practical and efficient way!. Evidence that time is only an invention, exists in simple FACTS, such as a day is NOT 24 hours as we're told, it is closer to 23; this is why we have leap years: because humans decided to round up the day to suit their convention of time - for easy math!.

Time, in my opinion, is only a EXTREME form of habit!. If it only takes 30 days of doing something once everyday to form a habit, imagine what an entire LIFE of regarding time as reliable and depending on on it to thrive in life/society would do, in the sense of conditioning!. Think how many times you look at a clock each day - it is relied on!.

People use the time to define alot of things as well: whether they're hungry, bored, or sleepy!. Spontaneously ask someone, "Are you tired!?" and they almost ALWAYS look at the clock before they answer!.

However amusing, baffling, and sometimes slightly disturbing the idea of global conformity to a psuedo-concept that impacts their entire scope of reality and their position in their lives (a sense of freedom rather than the sometimes crippling polarity of the lateral past, present, future) the existence of time is not against our favor!. It does make things easier -- and its important when thinking philosophically to always put things in the context of solid relaity!. We shouldn't define or sense-of-self (or perhaps, to some, the necessary lack there of) based on concepts like past and future that only exist for the convience of communication!. We should take what we really need from time and leave the rest, understanding the human conciousness often does take simple conviences of living and turn them, through extremes, into warped filters on perception that blinds and stupifies!.

Escape it!. And don't spend to long wondering why reality exists in its present form!. Because then you're only falling for the trap again!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com