Time
affects us all in different ways, and drives our life forward. But what is time? Time is an artificial idea
created by the brain to prevent everything from happening at once. This perception of time is common in all
living things but at different speeds.
What does this mean? This means that not every lifeform sees time in the
same manner. For example, a human, a
horsefly and a tree will all perceive time differently. Have you ever tried to swat a fly that was
sitting on a counter, but it easily escapes?
That is one example. The fly,
being a smaller creature perceives time faster than a larger creature such as
you and me. Our perception of time is
much slower than the fly’s. In effect,
the human seems to be moving in slow motion to the fly. Thus, it is childsplay for the fly to avoid
death. Moving on, we currently live and
act in the present, we believe. However,
there is no present. Since it takes your
brain 0.086 seconds to process the words you are currently reading, there can
be no real present. The only proof
anyone has of the past is memories.
These can come in different forms, such as fossils or even mental
memories. These events, are thought to
all have a coordinate in spacetime, based on Einstein’s theory of
relativity. This spacetime can be thought
of as a timeline that contains all the points as events. This timeline however is not just a straight
line moving into the future, it is a grid.
A grid that moves infinitely in all directions. So if it’s a grid, how can we know what is
the past, “present” and future? Well, we
can’t and we don’t. This “timeline” does
not follow any path and has no real direction.
This means that there is no definitive past present and future. To prove that time is merely a concept that
is created, look to space. Again
referring to Einstein, he proved mathematically that if a person could fly a
plane just outside of the Earth’s atmosphere at the speed of light against the
Earth’s rotation, that that person’s sense of time would be destroyed. This means that a person would fly in the
opposite direction as the Earth’s spin (If the Earth spins East, the plane
flies West). Let’s assume he flew at the
speed of light for just six months, then landed home. Everyone around him would be over 50 years
older, while he would’ve only aged 6 months!
Now somehow someway Einstein was able to prove this mathematically. So what does this mean? This means that everyone perceives time
differently, and that pilot was able to change his perception of time in a very
serious way. Of course, to actually try
that would be impossible to both survive and execute. However, it is an interesting gateway into
the illusion that is time. So what does
all this mean for me and you. It is interesting to think that the very fabric
that is our time, that even the illusion of the present, is merely a concept
that is created by your brain and tailored to you specifically.
P.S.
This concept is adopted by many physicists and has been proven both
conceptually and mathematically, but not experimentally.
67 comments:
This seems like an amazing conversation to have at 2 in the morning looking up at the stars. I've always been intrigued by the philosophical aspect of space and time but I've never really researched it. You've clearly done that research and this makes me want to learn as much as I can because it just seems so far beyond what we humans think about on an everyday basis.
Your introduction was great. You used a very common experience to convey the relativity of time between two different animals. Furthermore, the choice of time as a topic is a very interesting one as many of us struggle with managing our time efficiently and we interact with it almost constantly. However, the blog was a little bit cluttered. Separations here and there between topic/examples would help with the organization of thoughts for the reader. Erl Lee
I really liked this because it made me think about all the reasoning behind what we perceive as time. It brought a more reasearch based and scientific theme to literature that I tend to enjoy. I love thinking about theories and ideas like this so it was awesome to read something like this.
Carly Soos
I really enjoyed the blunt nature of your discussion. Not only did you present your topic in such a way that was interesting and clever but in such a way that would really give someone in opposition to your definition a hard time fighting it. Also the way in which your essay flowed from one supporting detail to the next really captivated me wanting to know more and more about how human beings perceived time. I especially enjoyed your example with the usage of the fly's idea of perception vs my own. I would love to read more about this and other animals ideas of perception against our own. - Gavin Gnaster
Looking at the title one would think there would be a simple answer to the question. Everyone has a basic concept of time: it comes and goes with no end. This paragraph slowly takes our idea of time compares that of a fly's then takes it deeper to the complexity of space as you validated your argument of the "grid timeline". Not only was this paragraph informative, but mind boggling.
I had no clue that time was perceived differently by us and other living things such as flies. You found some extremely interesting information and facts that made your piece solid, such as how long it takes our brains to process things. Now it makes sense why I can never kill those little guys! It is also incredible that Einstein was able prove this grid that moves in an infinite amount of directions, that we consider to be time. Thank you for sharing this piece, it is beyond belief!
I really liked how you invited the reader into the story and constantly engaged them throughout it. You also used a great way to add a scientific aspect to deeper the meaning of the introduction and title.
This was so great to read! I'm usually not one to jump and read these kinds of writing but you had me from the beginning to the end! It really gets you thinking and that is very interesting for the person that is reading, Great Job! -Vanessa Fernandez
I recall reading a similar piece on Time in Stephen Hawking's The Universe in a Nutshell. ALthough the book dived deeper into the complexity of Time i'm impressed you were able to accurately dissect the case Of Time being a fallacy and perceived completely different different people and animals and so forth. Taking apart such a complex idea and making a case for it in a few short words really shows how much you really understand the topic, well done.
Wow what an educational piece , this really made my mindset expand out of my usual thoughts ,it was so interesting that it immediately sucked me in to continue to read,what a great blog
I enjoyed how much thought you put into this! I liked how you gave examples so the readers can get a better understanding of time. Additionally, the scientific and mathematical explanation was a great idea to back up your thoughts.
Wow what an interesting piece, it made me have a mindset of different thoughts that i don't usually have , it immediately sucking me into the story making we wanting more to read , what a great blog
This piece is more than just literature, it is a breakdown of exactly how humans perceive. Compared to flies we become just any other living organism in the vast tidal wave of time, To move along thinking we are the center of it all when we are actually trivial in the grand scheme. Thank you for the mind bender.
Wow this messed me up. I love the way you included how a fly perceives time versus a human. Plus that plane in 6 months example was excellent! This really made me pause and think how I view time, this is a crazy insightful piece. I seriously love it!
Interesting piece. It was enjoyable to read and it gave me a whole different mindset with time. You gave us a whole different meaning of time. Great job with this blog.
Just the title itself made me think. It's a simple question that everyone answers with just the definition of time, but you took it to another level. This is informative, especially the example of how humans, flies and even trees perceive time differently, as well as the present being an illusion. Now, I'll have another topic to think about at 3am.
I enjoyed your piece on time as it is in fact something that many people question. You bring up a great argument and provide valid points to support your thoughts. Time is in fact a greatly confusing idea and I believe your thoughts on it were able to be effectively delivered in this piece. Great use of examples and vocabulary along with rhetorical questions.
- Eric Kim / Period 4
Very well written and interesting piece. I love your view point basically describing the philosophy behind how people persieve time. The main point I got out of this work was that everyon has different views or chooses different sides of the argument "What is Time" to describe the incredible length of diversity that our world has. The mutliple thought process' and ideas that make up this world is crazy. Your commentary and organization was great ! - Sabrina Wilkerson
This was very interesting and I thought it was really well written. I liked how you used analogies and other examples to help explain this complicated idea. I was hooked the entire time.
I loved that you chose to write about such an abstract and obscure topic, it shows uniqueness as well as intellectual maturity. You completely changed the way I think of time and have opened my eyes more mysteries this world holds. Your piece was easy to follow and expressed your views clearly and concisely.
This piece was so interesting! I had never thought about time in this concept. You did an amazing job in explaining your statement about how we really aren't in the present. I did not know that it took our brains 0.086 seconds to process. The piece was also so easy to follow and read. Usually when people talk about physics I get confused. Overall you did an amazing job in explaining the concept of time.
I really liked this piece because of how relatively simple you made a complicated concept. The easy to follow examples are very relatable that anyone can understand. Very well written!
-DeAndre Siringoringo
When I clicked onto your blog I expected a connotation of the meaning of time, I didn't expect to be so intrigued by the literal meaning of time. It is super common to hear such vague meanings of time, but you did an amazing job with the examples and historic examples of time. Really great job Sachin!
I'm actually very amazed at how well-written this post is. You somehow took probably one of the most complex topics known to man, and not only made it understandable and somewhat entertaining. Your use of the example about the fly really helped in the understanding of the piece. This really captured my attention and held it, leaving me with an infinite amount of questions.
Extremely intriguing. I never knew that different species perceive time differently. No wonder time seems to fly by when we are having fun. If only we could speed up or slow down time. I sense the next theoretical physicist here.
The concept of time has always been intriguing to me. From the introduction to the conclusion i was drawn in by the concept of time and the explanations supporting your argument. By distinguishing how we perceive time to how the fly observes time as well as how time itself acts in space has really opened my eyes to how important it is that we make each moment count.
Sachin, this post blew my mind! This piece was so engrossing that I read it three times just to do so! The subject of time is an extremely complex thing to explain and you explained it very well. The way you described how the perception of time is the same but at different speeds for all living organisms by using the fly as an example was very intelligent. This post is really beginning to make me wonder about something I did not really give much thought too. Great job!!
This was cool to read because its something I feel everyone thinks about at one point, there is different perspectives of everything and this piece demonstrated an example of that.
I really enjoyed your piece. The part where you mentioned that it takes 0.086 seconds to process was very "mind blowing" to me. Your incorporation of Einstein mathematically proving someone could lose their sense of time was very intriguing.
-Dominique Madrigal/period 1
Although I was already familiar with the concept of space and time, I was impressed with how well written and easy to follow your explanation of both was. It is interesting to think about how our reality is just our perception of time and how it can differ from one living being to another.
Although I was already familiar with the concept of space and time, I was impressed with how well written and easy to follow your explanation of both was. It is interesting to think about how our reality is just our perception of time and how it can differ from one living being to another.
- Justin Presto Per.1
This post was very informative and I found it very relevant since we are seniors and we are graduating this year. Saying that spacetime is just a timeline but with infinite possibilities feels like we have an infinite amount of possibilities ahead of us and it's true. We have many possibilities ahead of us and we can choose any path we want.
The way you described the concept of time from the point of view of a fly really intrigued me. Time is a concept I always find myself pondering about. I am very satisfied that I came across your piece because it had to do with something that interested me and it captured my attention throughout.
The way you described the concept of time from the point of view of a fly really intrigued me. Time is a concept I always find myself pondering about. I am very satisfied that I came across your piece because it had to do with something that interested me and it captured my attention throughout.
Sachin, your blog post brought some deep insight to time and effectively simplified such a complex topic. Your concise sentence structure made the post easy to follow and made the information easy to process. The elaborate examples you used furthers this point as they were easy to grasp, like the fly example, or explained well enough that even an individual with no background in astrophysics could understand them with ease.
Our perception of time has always been flawed in that we fail to consider other life forms that share this universe with us. This blog has left me to reconsider and ponder on the possibilities that can be opened to mankind if everyone were to adopt this line of thinking. Great in-depth piece that left me to reconsider my view of life!
I've thought about the subject of time before so it's nice to relate to someone who is as intrigued about as I am. And for people who are not as interested, you were able to make such a complex subject so relatable to anyone by using examples such as the fly or how long it takes our brain to process. I want to praise you on your efforts to connect science and English because overall it is one of the reasons why we read literature. Great job Sachin!
This piece really boggled my mind so kudos to you! I expected this to be about not having enough time- but I was pleasantly surprised to find it was the literal definition of the word. I loved that you used historical evidence as well. You made a piece that any other time would be quite complex and difficult to understand and made it your own, and that is not an easy thing to do, but you did it perfectly. Thanks for executing time in such an intriguing way where I could not help but to read it a few times over. Fantastic job Sachin!
Great job taking a concept that most of us assume we know the answer to and diving into the questions and science that surrounds it. I love how you referenced Einstein's theory of relativity and how time essentially is captured in 'spacetime'. It is interesting to think about the concept that there is no real present. Thank you for creating an easy to follow, thought provoking essay that is surrounded around a topic that is our everyday lives.
I really enjoyed reading this passage because it was so different. It really opened my eyes and taught me something new. I really like how you wrote about something so simple but turned it into this eye opening passage. Great job!
I really enjoyed reading this passage because it was so different. It really opened my eyes and taught me something new. I really like how you wrote about something so simple but turned it into this eye opening passage. Great job!
The different perspectives that time is very interesting and the notion that humans gain there sense of time only from past memories. The overall use of scientifically backed facts was an interesting and informative addition to the piece.
This story gave me a whole different concept on the aspect of time. It made me rethink how I preserve time, so I give you props for being able to do that.
I've always wondered why time was so irrelevant when we were younger. It seems as if our past has happened fast because we were smaller as mentioned. Really fun piece.
Wow, this piece just seriously blew my mind. How you described/explained the concept of time was easy to follow and understand. The information you gave the audience about a person flying around the outside of Earth's atmosphere at the speed of light had me hooked!
Wow Sachin, this piece really opened my eyes to what time really is. I've always wondered why time can go by "slower" or "faster". I enjoyed your example of how there really isn't a present tense since it takes your brain time to process things, I've always thought of these type of things.
This article really makes makes me think and question all the great unknowns of time and space. I enjoy the use of your broad vocabulary in both science and literature. Your use and description of facts really sucked me into your article. Great job.
Reading this blog really made me think about time in a different perception. The example of the fly made me realize the huge difference between our time and the flies time it was really mind blowing because I've never thought of it in that way before.
Great piece Sachin! Just your title alone had interested me in reading your passage and i really found it an exciting piece to read. Not knowing the concepts and mysteries of life is something that everyone can relate to. I like how you gave the idea of time in different perspectives and it really makes the individual think about their own life and existence.
Great job on constantly adding on to previously mentioned concepts and ideas. I found this piece to be exceptionally well written. I enjoyed your implementation of simple and complex sentences for different ideas and found it to really keep my attention. Keep up the good work (time is of the essence).
Very interesting perspective on time. The way its written really grabbed my attention. A lot of the ideas that you put out and examples were exceptional and I felt that like it was something that made me want more about you perspective.
Jeremiah Credo
Period 1
I really loved how you were able to break down and simplify such an abstract and complex subject for anyone to understand. Your word choice and analogies really kept me engaged for the entirety of this post.
Wow. My mind is officially blown. This means that time travel is indeed possible correct? Considering one could hypothetically fly fast enough to allow time to pass faster than people regularly perceive it to be passing? My head hurts. Anyway, I really enjoyed your piece because it caused me to think about something I don't typically consider. It's like how we don't really think about how breathing works, because we just breathe. An analysis on the concept of time is an incredibly unique concept to think to write on, and I appreciate the confusion I received from it.
- Ty Koslowski, Period 1
My attention was kept throughout the topic with the many facts given and interesting concepts stated. I also thought it was incredible realizing how time is just a tailored illusion created for sanity! This post definitely was intriguing and increased my curiosity on the concepts of time and how there is no definitive past, present, & future.
This is amazing, I've never heard anything like it! I almost can't wrap my mind around it because, I thought the concept of time was really a concept at all. It makes perfect sense that we as humans made up the concept of time in order to handle everything happening around us. I wouldn't be able to even think about what would happen if there was no time. Would everything just run in together? How would I actually get to school on time? Or would there be no "on time" to school, because time doesn't exist. Thank you for writing this making my brain go into a pit of theories. I really like how you worded this, it made the message even that more mind boggling.
Wow, that just made me think of time in an entirely new manner. The way you compared our view of time to the fly's in the beginning really put things into perspective right from the start, making the entire rest of the piece completely understandable
Two words, jaw dropping! The term "Time", to me, has been opened up to a total new perspective in which I have never thought of before. The differences in time due to size simply amazes me. I applaud to you good sir.
I simply cannot fathom what i just read right now. You have utterly and completely altered my vision of what the concept of time really is and what it does. The complexity of the situation really had me mentally staggering trying to catch up with everything that was going on throughout this passage. Sachin, you have really opened my eyes on such a simple topic as time that i would have never doubted myself.
This piece was very captivating in the way that it broke down such a mind-boggling topic, while incorporating credible references like that from Eisenstein.
This piece was very captivating in the way that it broke down such a mind-boggling topic, while incorporating credible references like that from Eisenstein. Great Job!!
This piece was very captivating in the way that it broke down such a mind-boggling topic, while incorporating credible references like that from Eisenstein. Great Job!!
This story was very well written. It amazes me that you took such a complex theory and established a basic meaning for the reader through the example for the fly. Afterwards, you expand on your explanation and it really opened up my mind to how little we know about the universe we live in. Mankind has only scraped the surface to understanding the way this world works.
This story is something that's beautifully done. You were able to take something so common in our lives that is time, and you made me think about it in a completely different way. Great Job!
-Zachary Judson Period 4
This pretty much explains the thought processes that start racing through my mind just as I need to fall asleep. From the get go you proposed a very broad but mind blowing question that gave me no choice but to keep reading and further explore the idea of time. I like how you alluded to Einstein's work to make the point you were making about time more interesting.
WOW!! Sachin.. this was truly an amazing piece! I loved everything about it! Your real- life example which everyone could relate to regarding the fly! Your other examples you used by incorporating Einsteins research! I would've never thought of using this type of topic.. i am astonished! Great Job
-Diego Carrillo p.2
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