Pages


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Cole--What is time?

One day I found myself and a few friends of mine debating about the question, What is time?, in a discussion about the movie Interstellar. You would think it would be a simple short answer response and it's easy to understand, but really it's not! About half of the people believe that time is the fourth dimension (past, present, and future), others think that time is an illusion and does not exist. I believe that the true meaning of time lies in between the argument of dimension vs illusion. The definition that initially pops up on the internet is “Time is a measure in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and also the measure of durations of events and the intervals between them. Time is often referred to as the fourth dimension, along with the three spatial dimensions.” This defines that time is the fourth dimension and is measured is three spatial dimensions. However this can’t be true because according to the Big Bang Theory all matter, space and time came into existence, before that time did not exist. Also you can look at it through a religious view that god created the universe, god lives forever, therefore time doesn’t exist. Whichever way you perceive it time can absolutely not be a dimension. Then there is the people who believe that time is a figment of our imagination and truly does not exist. Let me give you a Mr. Dinkleman example to describe how I view it. Does the U.S. dollar actually contain an actual value or is it just some ordinary paper with ink on it? The answer is that yes it is just ordinary paper with ink on it, BUT it has value because the world believes it has value to it. Time exists because we believe that it exists. When you look at creation time was nonexistent, now however as humans there is a such thing as time. I think that time is how we measure the start of our existence to the end. It is also the same for every other living being, in which we usually compare our lifespan to theirs. Which could then lead to the question is time viewed differently by other species? But in my opinion I perceive time as a way that we describe our lives in an orderly way, because do you think humans thousands of years ago lived according to hours, days, or years? Time is something that you can use to explain what is going on around you in the past, present, and future.

52 comments:

  1. Really provokes ones thoughts. I used to think time had one straight forward definition, the one we see on clocks and use to count the hours, minutes, seconds, etc on Earth but this truly makes you see it in a new light. - Alyssa Tandoc, Period 4

    ReplyDelete
  2. This was a very interesting piece my friend. Time is such a vast subject to discuss and so thought provoking. And you did a very nice job on expanding your thoughts toward the subject. Also, I watched the film "Interstellar" and I loved it! I love how it simply questions the humans' capability of doing something great and huge. And in the end, they resulted with the discovery of a fifth dimension! So great connection of time as well; truly supports your work.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I ponder about this as well, what is the purpose of having time and why did we come up with the units we came up with, I understand that it has to do with the rotation of the earth and what not but why cant a year be 400 days why can't a minute be 60 seconds. If time defines how old we are and time is measure by the rotations of the earth, if I moved to a planet where the rotations were faster would I be able to say I've lived to be 150 years old, would that count? I guess we won't know and it's a subject we probably can't full comprehend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I honestly never really thought about time like this, I don't even know how I would define it. I think this is a great piece and idea to look at.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have an interesting perspective and what you used to support it is insightful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The explanation to the different beliefs of how time is viewed is explained clearly and supported strongly through scientific and religious explanation of what time really represents in the life of humans making it very interesting and intriguing for the audience sense we each choose what we believe time is, it was such an interesting and well developed piece.
    Jennifer R.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very thought provoking piece. I found your perspective and supporting details very interesting and insightful, I hadn't thought much about the depth of subject before. Nice job!
    -Aileen Munoz

    ReplyDelete
  8. If time was just a matter of our human application to its existence, could it not in fact be flexible? And if time is flexible doesn't it imply some sort of spacial property? Flexibility is a physical property, so if time is perceived to me flexible, is it not then a dimension?

    Good insight on an intriguing topic.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very insightful opinion into the true definition or time. This piece became more thought-provoking as I continued to look into the issue itself. Very explanatory work.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Trick question? Now that you brought up the question of what is time, I tried answering it to myself and its actually quite impossible! But I really like how you gave a handful of examples, I really liked your perspective of time, it made the easiest to comprehend.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I really like this because me and my dad talk about this all the time, it's cool to know someone else thinks about this too :)
    I agree with you.
    -Shaniya T.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I liked this thought provoking blog. As for me it makes me want to just value and treasure this time, or illusion, just enjoy what I have here on earth.
    -Naeomi R.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Honestly this story was very thought provoking, so much so that it made my head hurt. I enjoyed reading this because of the descriptions on how many view time differently

    ReplyDelete
  14. Very interesting concept, I like how well thought out this was, really though provoking and loved the addition of Mr. Dinkelman's example! :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. A very unique way of thinking of a concept that not many ponder. Good Work!

    ReplyDelete
  16. this was a very interesting topic. It really causes one to think and realize how complex things are. I liked Mr. Dinkelman's example too !

    ReplyDelete
  17. Interesting, I actually had a discussion on the topic of time with my father, earlier today. We referenced the famous Theory of Relativity submitted by Albert Einstein, we took into the account of how time was represented in Interstellar, and how it was slowed or sped up relative to your location within space. We discussed that most things like time and numbers were nothing but concepts that were given values. The piece that was submitted here is very nice for the reason that it does not just represent your findings and analysis of a certain topic, but it is also able to get other people thinking and creating discussions over the topic that was represented here. Also, the Dinkleman explanation was very clever of you to reference.
    ~Ryan Kang

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow this really makes you take a second and think about things in a different perspective I never seen that movie before but after reading you piece made me interested in watching it good job!
    -Paige J

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is a very unique Idea, I have never really thought about this concept before. I really like your own perspective on time.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Very interesting topic, I love your perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I really connected with this piece because I too have had this debate with my friends. You did a good job discussing both sides of the argument. Although I have different views on this topic, I can appreciate your well developed perspective. I enjoy reading this piece.

    ReplyDelete
  22. The idea of time is such a thought-provoking topic. This piece was immensely creative and was written well!
    -Lorena Meza

    ReplyDelete
  23. Very interesting piece. I like that your idea of time combines the two well known ideas that most of the world had. I felt like the answer that you gave could apply to a lot of abstract concepts, like love, happiness, success, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your thoughts on time are very concise and supported by sources that we can all trust, because Mr. Dinkleman is the MAN! Including that paraphrase really helped put your views into perspective in a fun way. Rock on dude.
    -Christopher Trevino

    ReplyDelete
  25. An insightful and thought provoking piece. The different persepective of time is intriguing, in which I found very enjoyable. Great work!
    -Jerelle Medina per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a cool concept. It's not something most people tend to think about because we're always so busy that we don't get to think about each second or minute that passes. I think it's really great to question things that are usually overlooked, so good job with that! By questioning the little things, it also makes us step back and actually absorb the world around us.

    - Sam Nugroho

    ReplyDelete
  27. I thought this was a good way of looking at what "time" really is. I never really sat down and thought about the true value of time, but now that I have I completely agree with you. I also liked how you gave an example of money and how we view it as something so valuable when it really is just paper with ink.
    -Celeste Martinez

    ReplyDelete
  28. The movie Interstellar was excellent and I think a great way to capture the readers attention, I know it caught my attention, I think it really forces us to look at the universe from a different perspective.

    -Sienna Carbajal

    ReplyDelete
  29. The writing of this piece made me believe what you had said and agree with you. None of what you said is false and also provides valid points. -Joshua Kidwell

    ReplyDelete
  30. That's a very interesting concept and I enjoyed how this felt like a natural conversation. It reminds me of the fact that the light we see from the stars is actually what the star was millions of years ago. So in a way, people are always catching a glimpse of the past.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I agree with you Cole.. I think "time" is an ambiguous term, but it can be defined individually as both the experience a person has on earth, and the events that influenced them or that will be influenced by them. After all, we still have to recognize that time is not even the same just a couple thousand miles away from us. I enjoyed this post and the insight you shared, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Very interesting piece, makes one sit down and think deeply about the concept introduced. Very nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Very interesting piece, makes one sit down and think deeply about the concept introduced. Very nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have to say I often contemplate this question myself and you gave an awesome explanation… It really makes you slow down to think… Great job Cole you're a very smart kid *snaps for praise*

    ReplyDelete
  35. Your peice was definitely thought provoking. I personally beleive that time has no real definition. It is what we perceive it to be. We can calculate so many different things with the concept of time. Great peice!
    -Karyna G

    ReplyDelete
  36. Your writing actually made my think about something I've never thought about before, so that's pretty great. I liked how you used an abundance of definitions for time, like the direct denotation, your opinion, and even an analogy. How do you think society would function if time was never conceptualized?

    ReplyDelete
  37. I loved how after I finished reading this piece I had to read it again because it was just so descriptive that I wanted to fully obtain all the info. Great descriptions and illusions!
    -Nahome Woldearegay

    ReplyDelete
  38. This piece was quite interesting and thought provoking, and both challenged my current way of thinking and opened up new perspectives on the idea of time. Great job and keep up the great work! :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. I like the different perceptions that you give and the depth that you go into on each example. I really liked it

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love how you brought in different perspectives it helped form the well rounded tone. -Kayla mcgriff

    ReplyDelete
  41. It was a really good read. I always contemplated on what time was and honestly I still don't quite understand what it really is.
    -Jeremiah Eugenio

    ReplyDelete
  42. The idea of time is a tricky code to crack. Time as a "fourth dimension" alongside the other three spatial dimensions is hard for the mind to fathom. And it only gets more complicated from there. But yes, time serves an extremely important role in measuring "when" everything happens and a world without time is hard to comprehend. Very intriguing piece, and it shines light and gives perspective to a very frequently asked question.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I personally love thought provoking pieces, such as this one. It wasn't a very long piece, but the amount of explanation you added into this abstract idea was enough to keep it interesting, yet short. great job cole!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I thought that the exploration of the multi-faceted perception of time was so interesting in this piece! Time is one of the most unperceivable concepts in our universe, so I love when we dare to define it! I also love the relation of your own experiences with Mr. Dinkleman.

    Brandon Lim

    ReplyDelete
  45. Am I back in my physics class? I always thought of it as the fourth dimension because of the movie too but your piece made me reevaluate that. More research is necessary to find out what it really is.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Interesting piece. However in your religious example I don't understand how time does not exist just because God lives forever. Couldn't time exist forever as an infinite constant that has no true end itself but represents the end of everything else? I don't know. -Luke Riddington

    ReplyDelete
  47. I found it very unique how you allowed the reader to form their own opinion about time by bringing forth all the different perspectives about time.

    ReplyDelete
  48. So many thought-provoking pieces this batch. This one is no exception. I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  49. It is truly incredible how you are able to question the concept of time in a way that is new and insightful. Great work!
    -Maddie Alegria (p.4)

    ReplyDelete
  50. I really like how you made your price different for each reader changing their perspective towards the piece
    Bobby

    ReplyDelete
  51. i think its funny how this piece has the most comments because its the shortest, but that is irrelevant to what i have to say. I liked your comparisons of the definitions of time and how you carefully explained each side. i can see the physics aspect of it and the whole religious portion as well. Time is a very complex topic and I'm glad you chose to shed some light to it. good job cole.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Oh god, I hated Interstellar. But the concept of what time really is, always is thought provoking. Also, I love your use of Mr. Dinkleman wisdom to help support your point, always great to call back to the great ones haha.

    ReplyDelete