Time
Chapter 1 - Worldview
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Welcome to the Time page
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Time is the subject par excellence where our experiences and reality intertwine.
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Core ideas
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Definition of (fysical) time
The unstoppable increase of unusable energy (entropy), postulated by classical thermodynamics, is the criterion for distinguishing between the past, the present and the future.
Measuring the change in the amount of entropy tells you the order in which events occur: the lower-entropy state comes first, the higher-entropy state next, and the total-entropy state last.
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Perceived time
Time passes faster in the mountains than at sea level.
Science has determined through precise measurements that time passes faster when one is high above the earth's surface and slower when one is standing with one's feet on the ground.
The differences are small but measurable. The fact that there is less entropy closer to the earth than further away explains this phenomenon.
At a societal level, we experience a similar phenomenon. In economic/cultural life, entropy (the multiplicity of things) is increasing. As a result, we experience an acceleration of time that affects our daily lives..
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| Time |
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| How the Big Bang gave us time, explained by theoretical physicist Sean Carroll. |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZsmyTE3j9o |
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Deep dive
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Key take-aways from the deep dive
- Time is about our ability to notice change
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Time is a relational concept
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We rely on Carlo Rovelli, the theoretical physicist known for his work on quantum gravity and author of "The Order of Time," where he explores the concept of time philosophically and scientifically. He presents time as a subjective and emergent phenomenon deeply intertwined with our perception of the universe. Here are some key aspects of Rovelli's description of time:
Temporal Relationalism suggests that time is a relational concept rather than an absolute one. According to this view, time is not an intrinsic property of the universe but emerges from the relationships between objects and events. In other words, time is defined by the succession of events and their relationships.
He argues that our perception of time as a continuous, flowing entity is a construct of our consciousness rather than a fundamental aspect of reality. Time resembles a series of discrete moments or events with no inherent flow. Our sense of temporal continuity arises from the succession of these moments and our ability to perceive change.
Time and entropy, a measure of disorder or randomness in a system, connect. The increase of entropy over time, as dictated by the second law of thermodynamics, provides a directionality to the arrow of time. In this view, the asymmetry between past and future arises from increased entropy, as systems tend to evolve from lower to higher entropy states. law of thermodynamics, provides a directionality to the arrow of time. In this view, the asymmetry between past and future arises from increased entropy, as systems tend to evolve from lower to higher entropy states.
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What science can tell you
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| 't Hooft G (2018) Time, the Arrow of Time, and Quantum Mechanics. Front. Phys. 6:81. doi: 10.3389/fphy.2018.00081 |
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| The universe as we know it is characterized by a framework called space-time, in which events take place. The events are characterized first of all by their locations in space, and moments in time, all together indicated in terms of coordinates. The number of coordinates needed, usually real numbers, is called the dimension of space-time. The coordinate that indicates time, is a very special one. It is the only coordinate in which it is meaningful to define an ordering in the values given, the order of time. This ordering defines an orientation, called the arrow of time. It allows us to define an ordering (or at least a partial ordering) of all events. |
| https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2018.00081/full |
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