Yes. On a graph we may have x,y,z AND the value that is stored at that location (time.) 
Just had breakfast 9amMick, are you out of bed yet?
Of course not. I'll take my ball and go home too.
Time stops everything from happening at the one instant
and the distance of space and the maximum speed of light, which is the maximum speed of the transfer of information, gives the illusion of TIMEspace is what stops everything from being in the one spot
I can't help you with that. I think my knowledge of quantum mechanics is probably comparable to yours in this regard. The various versions of the uncertainty principle follow in QM from the non-commutativity of the relevant operators. I think there is probably a connection there, as you do, but I haven't followed up on exactly what the connection is.James, a slightly tangential question: I don't know much about Noether's theorem, but that the invariance of the laws of physics with position in space leads to conservation of momentum, while the invariance in time leads to conservation of energy calls to mind two common expressions of the Uncertainty Principle, arising from the non-commuting of their respective QM operators. This does not feel like coincidence. Do you know of a reason why QM pairs these quantities in the same way that Noether's theorem does?
No - no such animal as time with direction. You should know it's a human thought just as a expression to convey a idea. Plus a direction would not be a propertyTime has direction, and always moves/flows towards the future
One event following another is AGEING of the WHOLE of the Universe with we always see the local effectTime has order, and obviously we always see one event follow another that follows another.
A thing/entity/model need not be physical to be real.
Is detectable as is gravity, though both invisible. Not a problemmagnetic field
You, it seems have read a book [I forget which one] that sees time as you put it and you seem to like that description
is time fundamental
Don't think you have oneOf course not. I'll take my ball and go home too.
Thanks, in a way, James R for confirming my observation elsewhere we are personal foes. You have the clear advantage in this rat infested sewer known as Sf, of having a loyal coterie of shits eagerly coming in to bat for you: http://www.sciforums.com/threads/divide-and-confuse-backfires.162132/exchemist:
I can't help you with that. I think my knowledge of quantum mechanics is probably comparable to yours in this regard. The various versions of the uncertainty principle follow in QM from the non-commutativity of the relevant operators. I think there is probably a connection there, as you do, but I haven't followed up on exactly what the connection is.
Maybe Q-reeus can actually do something useful for a change and help with this. Or somebody else.
wegs:
It's sounds like you're looking for a cause for time - a reason that time exists.
What I would say, in the first instance, is that science doesn't really look for ultimate causes, most of the time. Science's job is to describe or model the world as we find it. We observe that stuff doesn't all happen at once, so we build this concept called "time" into the models.
Energy is another kind of model. It is particularly useful because it is often a conserved quantity, and physicists find such quantities to be very useful for solving problems and modelling systems.
In fact, things go deeper than that in physics. There's a really powerful theorem due to Emily Noether which says that for every symmetry in nature, there is an associated conserved quantity. For example, it is an observation that the laws of physics do not vary depending on our spatial location. If we carry out the same experiment in two different locations, under the same conditions, then the results will be the same. From this, it can be shown that momentum is a conserved quantity, which is rather interesting and unexpected.
So what about time? Well, another observation is that the laws of physics don't seem to care much about whether we do the same experiment yesterday, or today, or tomorrow. The results are the same, regardless. So, there's some symmetry in time, and there should therefore be a conserved quantity that goes along with it. It turns out that the relevant conserved quantity that comes from time symmetry is energy. So, time and energy are related in quite a deep way.
At the risk of harping on a theme I've raised before, it is important to realise that energy isn't a substance. Mostly, designating the "zero" point of energy is completely arbitrary, so when you say a system has no energy (i.e. its energy is zero) that doesn't really imply anything very special under a lot of circumstances. In particular, the fact that some system or other has zero energy shouldn't have any special effect on time - at least not in terms of causing time not to exist or something.
I don't like that statement much. We are only confident in the accuracy of our best big bang models back to a short time after the start of the universe (specifically, from about $10^{-43}$ seconds after the start). To push things back further to look for first causes, we need better models.
Using current models, though, we run into problems if we try to talk about times "before the big bang". It's a similar problem to trying to talk about points on the Earth's surface that are north of the north pole. We hit a conceptual or logical wall - a singularity, if you like.
Arguably, there's zero net energy right now, when you consider the entire universe. Maybe that has always been the case. As for "before the big bang", we tend to hit that wall I just mentioned. Some people would argue that it is actually meaningless to talk about time or energy before the big bang.
We don't know. We don't know whether the big bang had a cause, or what that cause was if it had one. There are hypotheses out there, but still a long way to go before we get definite answers.
Modelling and trying to explain things doesn't change them. It can change us - our understanding of our world and our place in it.
Like I said, the issue of time is controversial, but I see it as a part of the multi dimensional frame work we call spacetime.No - no such animal as time with direction. You should know it's a human thought just as a expression to convey a idea. Plus a direction would not be a property
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Will try to get to your reference later thanksWe can never determine a universal now, only a now as defined by the speed of light. Think about it.
Would be strange not to believe in NOW since I live, as does everyone else, in NOWYou don't believe in time but you do believe in NOW. What are the properties of NOW, with data and links please. I'll be waiting.
We all certainly live in a personal now, but they need not be the same.Would be strange not to believe in NOW since I live, as does everyone else, in NOW
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True, but but but you have just confirmed light left from cousin, coincidentally, as light left from yourself at a Universe NOW moment, the only difference being location that being your not be the sameWe all certainly live in a personal now, but they need not be the same.
My cousin living on planet X orbiting Proxima Centauri version of now, will not be recognised by me until 4.5 years later.
Okay, I'm finally ready to get into this lolwegs:
Not so much a cause, as much as does time need energy to exist? I don't know why that is confusing to me.It's sounds like you're looking for a cause for time - a reason that time exists.
I know. But, I understand this reply based on you thinking that I was asking if time has a cause.What I would say, in the first instance, is that science doesn't really look for ultimate causes, most of the time. Science's job is to describe or model the world as we find it. We observe that stuff doesn't all happen at once, so we build this concept called "time" into the models.
Ahhh...gotcha. Okay.Energy is another kind of model. It is particularly useful because it is often a conserved quantity, and physicists find such quantities to be very useful for solving problems and modelling systems.
In fact, things go deeper than that in physics. There's a really powerful theorem due to Emily Noether which says that for every symmetry in nature, there is an associated conserved quantity. For example, it is an observation that the laws of physics do not vary depending on our spatial location. If we carry out the same experiment in two different locations, under the same conditions, then the results will be the same. From this, it can be shown that momentum is a conserved quantity, which is rather interesting and unexpected.
So what about time? Well, another observation is that the laws of physics don't seem to care much about whether we do the same experiment yesterday, or today, or tomorrow. The results are the same, regardless. So, there's some symmetry in time, and there should therefore be a conserved quantity that goes along with it. It turns out that the relevant conserved quantity that comes from time symmetry is energy. So, time and energy are related in quite a deep way.
But wait, doesn't energy come in different ''forms?'' Light, motion, heat, etc...when I think of energy, I think of those ''forms'' of energy. Going with what you're saying, let's see if I get this correct -- energy is essentially the power to do work, whether that power is fueled by heat, light, or motion?At the risk of harping on a theme I've raised before, it is important to realise that energy isn't a substance. Mostly, designating the "zero" point of energy is completely arbitrary, so when you say a system has no energy (i.e. its energy is zero) that doesn't really imply anything very special under a lot of circumstances. In particular, the fact that some system or other has zero energy shouldn't have any special effect on time - at least not in terms of causing time not to exist or something.
Sorry.I don't like that statement much.
Why is it a problem? We simply don't know what occurred or existed before the BB, so why would that be a problem? We should rely on our confidence, even if it's limited. We didn't create the limits.We are only confident in the accuracy of our best big bang models back to a short time after the start of the universe (specifically, from about $10^{-43}$ seconds after the start). To push things back further to look for first causes, we need better models.
Using current models, though, we run into problems if we try to talk about times "before the big bang". It's a similar problem to trying to talk about points on the Earth's surface that are north of the north pole. We hit a conceptual or logical wall - a singularity, if you like.
Okay, I see...but why couldn't time and energy legitimately exist before the BB, we simply couldn't observe it? Is it because it brings up the question of infinity?Arguably, there's zero net energy right now, when you consider the entire universe. Maybe that has always been the case. As for "before the big bang", we tend to hit that wall I just mentioned. Some people would argue that it is actually meaningless to talk about time or energy before the big bang.
We don't know. We don't know whether the big bang had a cause, or what that cause was if it had one. There are hypotheses out there, but still a long way to go before we get definite answers.
Modelling and trying to explain things doesn't change them. It can change us - our understanding of our world and our place in it.
I just did a quick google search...and you are not alone in your thinking.Time and energy could exist before the Big Bang. That is unknown territory.
My view is that time isn't a "thing". It's an emergent quality (as they say) rather than fundamental.
But that's not a flying rug. We can imagine a flying rug but we know they are not real.I just did a quick google search...and you are not alone in your thinking.
Time emerges from ''entanglement.'' Just another quantum mystery, I reckon.
Every time that I think I'm getting somewhere, the rug gets snatched from under me!
I see what you did there. Cross pollinating threads, are we?But that's not a flying rug. We can imagine a flying rug but we know they are not real.![]()
Best understood imo by our overwhelmingly supported model we call the BB, that is space and time [as we know them] evolved at t+10-43 seconds.I just did a quick google search...and you are not alone in your thinking.
Time emerges from ''entanglement.'' Just another quantum mystery, I reckon.
Every time that I think I'm getting somewhere, the rug gets snatched from under me!
Did you know that the BB model isn't universally accepted, but it's the most encouraging model that we have to help us understand the evolution of the universe? I'm not a naysayer, just adding that, though.Best understood imo by our overwhelmingly supported model we call the BB, that is space and time [as we know them] evolved at t+10-43 seconds.
How they existed [if they did] at that first quantum/Planck instant is unknown.
Take that along with the fact that the BB is only applicable to the observable universe.