Time- Mysterious & Inescapable
The basic definition of time is: It is a forward or one-way progression or transmission of events from the past, to the present further transforming into to future. Some believe it is an illusion, others say it is a basic force that drives our lives. It is one of the most mysterious and favorite topics of scientists.
Our body has a master clock in our mind that gets a sense of time. It seems as if it’s an instinct and intuitive force that our mind perceives. We possess memory and can think rationally the at present has converted in the to past but where it has gone? Actually, it has become a memory. Since we are observers so we perceive, think, and observe that is why the past exists, so time exists. A conscious mind takes time as a feeling or as an instinct of humans. According to our natural clock in our body, time passes slowly when we are sad, or bored, but it passes faster when we are happy. I think it is a general observation of everybody that time slows down when we feel bored, tired, and uncomfortable, but when we are satisfied, happy and comfortable time goes faster. It is a similar observation that people complain that their miseries are not ending while their happy times ended so quickly. Our body gets old as time passes and it depends upon what we do, eat, drink and think which ultimately change our biological mechanics of the body. Although time seems relativistic and individualistic, it is different for everyone, each one of us has a unique sense of time. Everyone has diverse master clocks, and their time is relatively slower and faster than others sometimes synchronous and lined up. Let me share how our biological clock works, I have many friends whose clock is very well synchronized with every tick of the clock whenever I have asked about what is time now? They have always responded to the correct time (with Plus-minus- one-minute accuracy) without looking at their watches. Even though I have observed myself in a similar situation, whenever I have set an alarm, so as to get up early 6 or 7 AM in the morning, I get up before 5 minutes alarm rings.
Time is an illusion. We are moving from past to present and from present to future with time is just an illusion to the brain. Everything is happening right now. Past is nothing but our memories. A conscious mind has memories, it has some sense of the past, therefore we feel the past exists. Tomorrow is an illusion too as it never comes, however, we possess an analytical and calculative mind who can anticipate or can think about the future, simply it can be said that we have the choice to go for in the future which totally depends upon us. We only live in the present, but it’s Mysterious too, and can’t say it’s happening because when you say it’s happening actually it has happened and become past? Then what actually exists? Einstein once said that “the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” He meant by this statement that past and future are unchangeable and whatever happens, will happen as it needs to, and whatever has happened cannot be changed. Time is an abstract concept but it’s not physically available. It is mysterious, untouchable, and invisible. But it is here. It passes and goes on.
Since time is a mysterious concept and there is no fixed and final definition to define it with perfection, now has become a part of philosophy to debate over it. Time can be defined in thousands of ways. Some say, nothing is passing actually, as everything is here. The bigger picture, the block of the universe stays the same, no change is there. According to the block universe model, everything that has happened is happening and will happen is already present at the same time in the universe at some point in space and time. It means that the past, present, and future are happening at the same time. In explanation; we are in present, but the past and future are saved somewhere in unknown and undiscovered dimensions.
Another definition that I feel can be given as it is a gap, it is a space between two events happening whether it is between astronomical objects or between quantum particles vibrating at certain energy levels. Time is a basic force that differentiates present, past and future, and even life and death.
Some people believe that there is a thread connected to us and it is invisible and we are in control. And time is an internal thing, a much more than just a biological thing. Although, our body can sense the track of time. But guess what, such people also believe that what we know is not the truth what we do not know and cannot perceive is the real truth. Eternal things are not subject to be known by the people as they are eternal and cannot be comprehended by common people with the present consciousness. It requires supremely higher consciousness in order to figure out what the universe is and how it works.
Einstein said, “Time is relative”. It means that it is different for observers in a different frame of reference. Two people cannot observe the same event, in the same way, being in another frame of reference. In classical (Newtonian) physics, gravitation was defined as a force that pulls at the center, while in modern physics, Einstein presented the Theory of Relativity, and he defined gravity in a more vivid and intuitive way, that it is nothing but a curvature in space-time. Under influence of strong gravitational force-time slows down.
A spectacular, fascinating, and intriguing concept about time, is presented in Interstellar movie. In this, time is a physical dimension. Mr. Coop, the main character of this movie, experiences time as something which is physically available there beyond space-time. He becomes able to see all his collection of past memories. He sees his library, young daughter, and himself too. One of the most fascinating ideas of this movie is that firstly, time is in physical form, and secondly, time is relative, when he comes back home after a journey in outer space, he finds his daughter old-aged, while he remains a little older than when he went up in the sky. The reason that he remained the same as he was before, is that time worked differently. Up there was one tick for Mr. Coop, on earth it was approximately one day at earth. That is why his daughter was about 90+ years, and he remained around 35 years. One of the best dialogues related to time in this movie that I consider is: “to them, time may be just another physical dimension. To them, the past might be a canyon they can climb into, and the future a mountain they can climb up.”
Time travel is the reason that time is mysterious and increased the curiosity of people to know more about this eternal thing-time. Michio Kaku said that we have sufficient knowledge about time and time travel. Now it is an engineering problem. It must be engineered and then brought to practical life. But this has to wait for centuries to come in practical life.
Fictieously Concluding, the arrow of time moves in a forwarding direction and the past is always behind us. Whatever definitions we present, time remains inescapable & mysterious. It just passes and no one can control time or stop the natural clock of the universe. It is what it is. It only varies in the experience of it in a different frame of reference.
Gmail: deep.ibasukkur@gmail.com
References:
http://www.infocobuild.com/books-and-films/science/time.html
https://www.wondriumdaily.com/time-travel-in-interstellar-time-dilation-and-causal-loops/
