Time's definition is rather shady, because in order to define it we need the answers to some questions I asked above. Here is a couple links to get people started, and to help clarify some major properties and beliefs about time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_of_time
I'd like to start this discussion of by providing a complete (I think) list of beliefs about time. The options of belief are (hopefully limited to):
Time has a fixed beginning point, and a never ending future.
The past extends forever, but the future has an ending point.
Time has both a beginning and end.
Time extends forever into both the future and the past.
Time is non-linear, and is only an illusion.
An interesting point of view on time is the idea that coincides with the second law of thermodynamics [here], in that the universe is constantly changing. This change requires the use of energy, and according to the second law of thermodynamics, that energy will at some point in time will become 100% useless. When that happens, time will cease to exist, because without energy there will be no cause of change between different pieces of matter. Without any change between different pieces of matter (or at least any way to measure that change), then time itself would cease to exist (or if time existed and was just not measurable, then it could be considered an "end" of time).
As for the beginning of time, think of it this way: If time is needed to have a change since change is a property of time, and time was non-existent, then how could time come into existence? Wouldn't time coming into existence be a change, which shouldn't be possible if time doesn't exist. If there was no time for the beginning, then time couldn't have been created. Therefore, you need time to create time, so time would have to be infinitly spanned in the direction of the past.
Any thoughts or different viewpoints? Any counters to this viewpoint presented?
Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jan 12 2010, 3:47 am by CecilSunkure.
None.