• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Is Spacetime a Reality

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Does spacetime exist as a physical reality?
Or is spacetime accepted as a reality because of its ability to accurately predict physical reality?

If spacetime is a physical reality, does this mean the past and future exist concurrently with now as physically realities?
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Does spacetime exist as a physical reality?
Or is spacetime accepted as a reality because of its ability to accurately predict physical reality?

If spacetime is a physical reality, does this mean the past and future exist concurrently with now as physically realities?


A tricky one, space exists as reality, time doesn't
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
The general theory of relativity established time as physical, iirc

The greatest trick the universe ever pulled was convincing us that time exists.

Time is our way of identifying that one thing happens after another.but
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
A tricky one, space exists as reality, time doesn't

I'd agree, it makes sense in my view, but I've been told by educated people that this view is wrong. I guess I don't know enough to make a coherent argument.
 

Onoma

Active Member
The greatest trick the universe ever pulled was convincing us that time exists.

Time is our way of identifying that one thing happens after another.but

Would you agree there are 2 separate ways of looking at time ?

Qualitative VS Quantitative ?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
I'm not sure what you mean by that

Einstein's equations describe the flow of time ( Below is a good overview )

What is general relativity?
I have the book about the topic

simply stated......in my own words....
time is a measurement
a cognitive device made by Man to serve Man

it is a quotient on a chalkboard
and will not be found anywhere else

it is not a force
it is not a substance
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I'd agree, it makes sense in my view, but I've been told by educated people that this view is wrong. I guess I don't know enough to make a coherent argument.

It seems time is impossible to define (at present), its a way of counting the gaps between events. I see time as a measure of entropy. Whether that's right or not, I don't know.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Please define what is "now", "today". What does it mean "today is 2020 AD?"
The definition is a tautology: today is what we see on the calendar today.

Now, the moment which divides the future from the past.
Unfortunately, the present we perceive is actually an echo of the past. The subconscious mind creates a presentation of reality for our conscious review that by the time we become aware of it, that now, it no longer exists.

"Now" is elusive to our conscious awareness but had an actual existence that created our perception.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Now, the moment which divides the future from the past.
Unfortunately, the present we perceive is actually an echo of the past. The subconscious mind creates a presentation of reality for our conscious review that by the time we become aware of it, that now, it no longer exists.

"Now" is elusive to our conscious awareness but had an actual existence that created our perception.
approximately.....one tenth of one second

it takes that long for the nervous system to send the signal to your brain

to respond even in reflex.....one tenth more

so some reflexes like touching something hot
sends a signal to the elbow and your elbow will jerk
quicker than your brain will say.....OW!

but time was not a force applied in that event
because time is not a force
 
Top