Time flows like a river.
From X to Y - the integers of existence are marked by the passage of the ever-constant
ticking of the cosmic clock.
We live, we die - yet the rivers of time seemingly go on and on - the one driving force that
leads us from the past, to the present - to the future.
But, there may be something about the concept of time that isn’t exactly as it may seem.
After all, time is a human construct - it is a measurement of our perception of reality
- but could it be, that perhaps - time doesn’t exist at all?
Well, let’s find out.
Hello internet - what’s going on - and once again, welcome back to the most inquisitive
channel on YouTube - Life’s Biggest Questions - as per usual, I’ll be your disembodied
floating voice Jack Finch, as today, we curiously ask the question - What If Time Is An Illusion?
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, that scene was from the heart wrenching film, Bicentennial
Man, starring the late, great Robin Williams - which was also released back in 1999 - just
before the turn of the millenium - and that actually makes me feel really, really old.
So I guess it’s a glaring reminder at just how scary time can be.
And now I feel sad.
Anyway, to even begin to attempt to answer this question - we first need to take a look
at just exactly what time *is* - and whilst you may think it’s just a visual reminder
of a ticking clock, as the hours and days pass by - much like death and taxes - time
is much more important than that.
On the surface, the concept of time is glaringly self-evident.
After all - an hour consists of a number of certain minutes - a day consists of a certain
number of hours - and a year consists of a certain number of days.
Simple right?
We check our watches and mark our calendars - we live our lives as the seasons pass on
by - as the clock ticks on eternal.
In physics, time is unambiguously defined as - what a clock reads.
It is a unit of measurement that serves as a tool to define other quantities.
It can measure the motion of the sun across the sky - it can outline the waxing and waning
phases of the moon - it can record the swing of a pendulum, and take notes on the beat
of a human heart.
But despite all of that, outside of the agreements of physics - in the realms of philosophy,
theology, business and economy, where our apparent wants and needs appear to change
- time remains the same.
It has often been said that time is a tool - a human construct, simply to be put to use
by the human mind to further the progress of all things.
But, when we let it all sink in - time is actually one of the biggest controversies
in existence.
But why?
What’s so controversial about which digits appear on the clock face?
Time *feels* real, doesn’t it?
It’s always there - always ticking forward.
Time has a flow - it runs like a river - it has a direction, and that direction always
advances.
Time has order - one thing after another, and on - and on.
And time has a quantifiable privilege - only the NOW is real - only the present is happening.
But this is where we trip ourselves up, and this is where the timey-wimey stuff gets a
little bit interesting - and strangely enough, starts to argue with itself.
The only concrete proof that you have of the past existing are your own memories.
And that’s a weird thought, isn’t it?
In fact - the only evidence that you have of last week is *in* your memory.
Just like the only evidence we have of planet Earth’s past is in it’s rocks and minerals
- but that notion can only get us so far, because in physics - the fundamental building
blocks of our understanding of the universe begin to clash with our linear construct of
time.
As with many things - the legendary Albert Einstein threw the initial spanner in the
works when it came to questioning the reality of time.
And that’s down to his theory of special relativity - which in essence, outlined the
modern model of a concept known as the block universe.
The block universe is essentially the testing realm for one of the most important functions
in physics - the concept of spacetime - Einstein’s notion that time and space are one and the
same.
If we think of the block universe as a sort of four-dimensional space-time structure where
time functions exactly like space - things get incredibly interesting.
In the block universe - time IS space.
In that, every event - past, future, present - each have their own set of coordinates,
their own plot on the map out in space-time.
That’s where the possibility of time being an illusion begins to make a little more sense
- because in the block universe, time is tenseless.
All points on the map of space-time are equally real - and this is where the future, the past
- and the present are all happening at the exact same time.
Woah.
Does your head hurt yet?
But if this was the case - and our construct of time IS merely a temporal illusion, then
theoretically speaking - given the right parameters, we could observe the past, the present and
the future - at will.
Although the science of Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster movie, Interstellar, was based
on many fringe theories of spacetime - it is an incredibly vivid depiction of what this
particular notion would appear as.
Just like after Cooper has slipped through the black hole Gigantica - he experiences
time and space exactly as it appears in the block universe.
Spacetime.
One and the same, articulated in the fourth dimension - not in a linear fashion, but in
a cascade of moments like coordinates on a map.
There are two possibilities.
We can either portray our reality as a three-dimensional place, where events and actions appear to
happen over time - and we experience them relative to the present, with the past and
the future ever switching place - cascading like a water wheel, up and down - adhering
to the human construct of the arrow of time.
OR - we could also be experiencing it as a fourth-dimensional place - where nothing happens,
as it is in the block universe.
In this, our perception of change would BE the illusion of time - perhaps as a way for
our human mind to even attempt to comprehend and maintain the cosmic infinity of eternity.
After all, would use would the present be - if the future was already written?
Our understanding of time is still flawed - and physics continues to chip away at the
flaws in our interpretation of reality.
At the moment - our construct of time as a linear tool has appeared to lead to more questions
than answers, and the ever changing boundaries of what we know and what we think we may know,
incrementally tick forward like the hands of a clock.
As for the truth of the matter - well, only time will tell.
Well - there we have it - our very long and very short answer to the eternal question,
What If Time Is An Illusion?
What did you guys think?
Do you have any more to add to the nature of our reality?
Please, why don’t you let us know your thoughts down in the comment box below - I know you
will.
Also - if you’ve got any suggestions as to which direction you’d like to see this
Questioning ship steered - then please, speak your mind - or forever hold your peace.
Before we depart from today’s video - let’s take a quick look at some of your more resounding
remarks from over the past few days.
First up, Commander Fox says --
One of my favourite and most hated things about YouTube is its recommendations.
Sometimes its a load of crap and sometimes its recommendations are awesome.
In this case - it is awesome!
Cheers guys!
You got another subscriber!
--- Phewwwwww.
Jeez Commander Fox, I wasn’t sure which way that was going to go then - but hey, much
appreciated buddy - and welcome aboard!
Well, on that strangely reassuring note - that’s unfortunately all we’ve got time for in
today’s video, cheers for sticking around all the way until the end.
If you were a fan of this video, or just Life’s Biggest Questions in general - then please,
be a dear and hit that thumbs up button - as well as that subscribe bell, and I’ll be
seeing you in the next one.
As per usual, I’ve been your disembodied floating voice Jack Finch - you’ve been
watching Life’s Biggest Questions - and until next time, you take it easy.