I think that we define time as a measure of change in the world (many might disagree). That means that the world has to change every instant. I know that there are some small changes every nanosecond.
But when I was watching this documentary by BBC called "Flow of Time" (we might watch it on Wednesday, 9th April), my view of time changed quite a bit. Then the posts by Rathod and Karina kind of sparked up a series of thoughts in my mind, leading to the questions, "Does time actually flow? If all the information already exists, does the information for the future also exist? Are the changes to happen in the world already laid out in front of us?"
The movie talks about the 4 dimensional space-time continuum and the fact that it could be defined. It talks about how there are three dimensions in space (length, width, height) and the fourth dimension being that of time. So as time changes, the entire space changes. If you can visualize this, it will be like each unit of time defines one whole space. That is, there is one space for time = 1, and one for time 1.0000001 too. Looking at time in this fashion, I just thought, could this world be made up of just equations?
I think you should be able to understand this:
f(t) → x, y, z
Where t is time and x, y, z are the three dimensions of space.
This leads me to think that the entire universe's time has already been defined by certain equations that each of us are part of. The only problem with this is that all the dimensions of space can be negative, but the time is always a positive value. You cannot have negative time, i.e. you cannot go back in time.
I definitely see a connection between Hindu faith and this theory. Haven't we heard from our parents and grandparents and other older relatives that our fate is already written? Aren't we also told that what is gone is gone and we cannot change it?
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3 comments:
To get straight to it, time has not been defined with multilateral acceptance (My view). However I agree with Shravan about Hindu Mythology and his thoughts about time. This is exactly what destiny or fate is about. I in true sense do believe that one day this will happen to me or on this I will die.
Coming back to time - "Does time actually flow?"
Well for this we have to consider the universe as a whole and debate on its existence. If you believe in the Big Bang Theory like I do then certainly there would be not much doubt when considering that when the Bang happened and as the Universal Energy split into the 4 main energies we know today - Gravity, Electromagnetic and Strong and Weak Molecular, time began. Now I can say with some 'certainty' that Shravan is right in saying that it is a measure of change. Coming down a simpler level, Shravan is also right because if you consider physics - Kinetic energy includes time when calculated. The Universe is expanding, is what is believed today. This is motion thus it involves kinetic energy thus time, so time does flow.
Dear Prajay and Shravan,
Interesting exchanges that.....Rather than think about time as flowing/not flowing etc and the Hindu philosophy of our destiny being written, I want to shift the focus to another bit of Hindu philosophy and, the way in which time is measured.
Rather than break time down into nano-seconds and even days or years, the Hindu philosophy talks in terms of a "yug". This yug, is a few thousand years and is an epoch. For example the present kaliyug started in 3102 BC!! The two yugas prior to kaliyug were the satyug and the tretayug.So if we view time in that context of yugas, then the future (that we measure in a few years) is right here right now.......existing in this yug irself. Think about it!
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