Q&A #5: Question Two

The second question I had this week regarding time is how we can deny the existence of time as force of nature altogether. I can understand that due to the inability to properly define the stages of time (past, present, future) concretely, we may become skeptical about the use of such terms to describe the passage of time. I do find it difficult however to deny the concept of duration, as for practical purposes we need this concept to live in our day to day lives as a species. We cannot deny that a human life is finite, no matter how we measure this duration in years or otherwise, human beings do not live forever. Not only do human beings have a finite existence but a majority of the material and perceivable world around us does not have an infinite lifespan. Again for the purpose of trying to find meaning in our lives and to support our species physically, we have to accept some concept of time so that we can survive. Aside from this I am still wondering whether a person can dismiss time altogether and still function day to day in our society successfully.

Q&A #5: Question One

The first question I had about this weeks topic of time is in regards to the block theory of time. If the past, present, and future already exist, it implies that the world is predetermined . If this is so then the contentious debate about whether we have free will in a deterministic universe is bound to arise. The author brings up some points about this topic saying that we may eventually commit a particular action of our own volition, so in that sense free will does not disappear in a determined system. It seems to me that accepting that we will one day perform a particular action seems fatalistic, it seems to remove some responsibility for the action as a proper defense of an immoral act would be "well I was going to do it anyways because it is inevitable". If there is a moral system in a predetermined universe, it seems it would have to be based on intention, I can hope for the best when committing a certain act but whether I do something immoral is already determined. I can still intend to do the right thing but inevitably I am bound to perform whatever action I have already committed in the already existing future.

More On time

The link below provides some further reading about scientific theories form physics relating to time

http://www.timephysics.com/