An Inquiry about Time
Craig Blair
A - Awful doubts... (L'ombre d'un doute)
1. Is there for you any convincing proof that time really exists ?
There is no proof, but I am sure it does by my traveling through it every day.
2. Couldn't it be possible that all our movements are not real and that all appearances are just a sort of holographic hallucination ?
It is possible, but I don't believe that it is.
3. Does any object, which has never been observed, but which is existing nevertheless, possess any temporal and spatial existence ?
This is a question I have asked before. If I have no awareness of something, then to me it does not exist. So if nothing has awareness of something, does it exist at all?
B - Approaching Time
1. What is Time to you - is it a friend or an enemy ?
Neither, it simply is.
2. Is Time something rather positive, negative or indifferent to you and why ?
Indifferent I guess, because I don't think of my life as being affected much by it.
3. If you were given a machine allowing traveling in Time, where would you travel and why?
3.a. into the past ?
3.b. into the future ?
Both, strictly out of curiosity
C - Looking for the limits of Time
1. Could Time be limited by something ?
1.a. If yes please indicate by what and under which circumstances
2.b. If not, why not ?
2. Are there any means to stop Time ?
2.a If yes, which ones ?
I did not think that anything could limit time, but I recently read an article about scientists that stopped light. Would this be the same as stopping time? If light stopped, would time stop?
3. What is the contrary of Time ?
I guess it would be "anti-time" and would travel backward instead of forward. Some theorists have postulated that if the universe stops expanding and begins to collapse in on itself that time will run backwards.
4. What is the biggest enemy of Time and why ?
I don't believe time has an enemy.
5. How do you interpret the meaning of the word "timeless" ?
Something that is not attached to a particular place in time. The works of certain artists are "timeless".
D - Parsing Time - Past, Present, Future
1. What does the present mean to you ?
Now.
2. Where does the future start ?
With the next moment.
3. Where does the past end ?
With the passing of the last moment.
4. Explain the role of past, present and future within Time.
4.a. Do they play an equal roles ?
4.b. If not, which of them is the most important ?
5. Which statements can you make about past and future ?
6. What are the most important meanings attached to past present and future?
E - Shaping and Structuring Time
1. What is for you the most important characteristic of Time ?
That it is not static. It is constantly moving forward into the future.
2. What makes you recognize or realize the existence or the passing of time ?
Growth, aging, decay...
3. Do you think Time has any direction ?
Yes. So far it seems to be moving in only one direction -- forward. Does it move backwards? I don't know.
4. Does an expression like "the arrow of time" mean anything to you ?
I guess it means that it moves in one direction, like an arrow. However, an arrow's flight can be slightly manipulated by such things as wind and gravity. Likewise, I believe extreme gravity can warp time, though I'm not sure how.
5. To which aspects of Time are you the most sensitive ? Please explain when, how, and why.
5.a - rythm ?
5.b - instants ?
5.c - events ?
5.d - encounters ?
5.e - choices and decisions ?
5.f - irreversibility ?
5.g - newness and evolution ?
5.h - continuity and duration ?
5.i - decay ?
5.j - the coming of death ?
5.k - other
6. Do you feel Time to be more like
6.a - a straight or curved infinite line ?
6.b - a closed line, like for instance a circle ?
6.c - a spiral ?
6.d - a forest of frequencies ?
6.e - an ever forking shape, like for instance a tree ?
6.f - a piling of geological layers ?
6.g - accumulated dust under your bed ?
6.h - dirty plates in the corner of your sink ?
6.i - other
a - A staight or curved line, though not necessarily infinite.
F - Measuring Time
1. What is the meaning of the clock as regards the conception of time ?
An arbitrary means of dividing time up into measurable segments.
2. If there were no more clocks, would it still be possible to mesure time nevertheless ?
2.a. If yes, in which way ?
Yes, through movement.
3. Are you aware of special or rare means of measuring time ?
No.
3.a. Which one(s) would you recommand or like to use yourself ?
G - Digging into common expressions
1. What does the sentence "I am wasting my time" mean to you ?
I am doing something worthless to me.
2. What are you thinking about the term "timebomb" ?
An oject that explodes at a prescribed time.
3. How can you disprove the best the following sentence : "Time is money" ?
Time is money only for those unfortunate souls that put such importance and value on money. For me time is life!
4. Could you make a list of strange time related expressions in your mother language ?
In English we often talk about "saving time". This is nonsense when you think about it. You can never save time, you can only spend it.
5. Can you provide explanations about these expressions ?
6. Are such expressions of any help as regards building your own concept of Time ?
No.