Time: A Trick of the Mind or the Fabric of Reality?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.2391Keywords:
Philosophy of Time, St. Augustine, Phenomenology, Relativity, Quantum MechanicsAbstract
Our existence is governed by time, yet its essence remains confusing to us. Time could be one of the most difficult concepts for human beings to understand. In his Confessions, St. Augustine asked some very deep questions about the nature of time: What is time if the past no longer exists, the future never arrives, and the present is too fleeting to comprehend? His arguments go contrary to our common sense and scientific knowledge. In this article, we are going to re-examine Augustine's puzzle and see what it tells about time in light of modern philosophical reflection and research in physics. We introduce competing solutions to the puzzle by considering theories in phenomenology, relativity, quantum mechanics, and emergent time models. We suggest that instead of time being intrinsic, it is perhaps more revealing to consider time as emergent, co-temporal with the other, or co-present mentally. The essay ranges from eternally contemporary philosophical concerns and the latest scientific knowledge, exposing new revelations into the nature of time.
References
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