demian on Nostr: MI IDEA OF TIME: ————————————————————— ...
MI IDEA OF TIME:
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summarizing (if don’t wanna read):
“Time constructs the universe (space-time fabric), but we can only experience a limited slice of it because of our three-dimensional nature, while a four-dimensional entity would experience time in its entirety.”
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Explaining:
Time, as we experience it, is a fundamental aspect of the universe, but it may be much more than a linear flow of events. In the view I’m proposing, time is not only a dimension we move through but also a key component that constructs and sustains the very structure of the universe, in much the same way that space defines the boundaries of physical objects. From the fabric of spacetime to the most fundamental processes in the universe, time is deeply woven into everything, shaping reality itself.
In relativity, we know that time is intertwined with space, forming the four-dimensional fabric of spacetime. According to Einstein’s theory, objects in different regions of the universe experience time differently based on their speed and gravitational fields. This relativity of time shows that time is not absolute, and its passage can stretch or contract depending on the observer’s position and motion. This has profound implications for how the universe is constructed.
Time, in this view, is not simply something that flows independently of the universe but actively shapes the universe itself, forming its very structure. The strings of time—the spacetime continuum—define the relationships between events and objects, providing the context for how things exist and interact. Different regions of the universe may experience time differently because they are situated in different parts of this spacetime structure, and thus, their relationship to time is shaped by the local curvature of the universe.
Just as space can be warped by massive objects (like stars or black holes), time can be bent, stretched, or contracted based on the conditions of the universe. This is why people in different parts of the universe, moving at different speeds or under different gravitational influences, experience time in different ways.
Now, if time is such an integral part of the universe’s fabric, why do we experience it in such a limited, linear way? The answer lies in the dimensionality of our perception. We are three-dimensional beings, bound by our limited sensory and cognitive abilities. This constraint means we only experience time in a linear sequence—moving from the past, through the present, toward the future. We cannot access the full structure of time that builds and sustains the universe because we are only capable of perceiving the present moment.
However, if we were four-dimensional entities, our relationship to time would be fundamentally different. A being with access to the fourth dimension would no longer be confined to experiencing time as a flow of moments. Instead, they would see time as a complete, multi-dimensional construct—much like how we see a three-dimensional object all at once, rather than experiencing it as a series of two-dimensional slices. This would allow them to perceive the entire timeline of the universe as a whole, from the Big Bang to the eventual end (whether it be the heat death, a big rip, or a cosmic collapse).
In this way, past, present, and future would not be separate phases of existence but simply different parts of the same temporal landscape. A four-dimensional being could “see” the universe from beginning to end all at once, as if observing a giant tapestry of time stretched out before them. They wouldn’t experience time as something that passes, but rather as something static and manipulable, much like how we can move through space in different directions.
For us, time appears sequential because we can only move through it moment by moment, like flipping through the pages of a book without ever seeing the entire story laid out. But a four-dimensional being would have no such limitations. They could access different “blocks” of time, seeing not just the present moment but also the past and the future as readily as we see different points in space. From this higher-dimensional perspective, they could observe the entire history of the universe—from its birth in the Big Bang to its eventual collapse—all at once.
This also means that such a being might be able to manipulate time in ways we can’t even comprehend. Just as we can move freely in space, altering our position and direction, a four-dimensional entity could theoretically move through time with the same freedom, stepping between different moments and observing or interacting with them at will. What we experience as a fixed, unchangeable sequence of events would be fluid and dynamic to such a being.
The implication of this is that time, in its truest form, does not “flow” in the way we experience it. The universe as a whole exists as a complete entity, with all moments in time—past, present, and future—already existing within its structure. The “flow” of time that we perceive is a product of our limited perspective, constrained by our three-dimensional nature.
If we were capable of perceiving and interacting with time in its full dimensionality, we would see the universe not as something that is constantly changing or evolving but as a static, eternal structure, with every event from the birth of the universe to its eventual end already “there.” The idea of change, of moments passing from future to present to past, would be an illusion created by our limited vantage point. Time would not “move”—we would.
—————————————————————
summarizing (if don’t wanna read):
“Time constructs the universe (space-time fabric), but we can only experience a limited slice of it because of our three-dimensional nature, while a four-dimensional entity would experience time in its entirety.”
—————————————————————
Explaining:
Time, as we experience it, is a fundamental aspect of the universe, but it may be much more than a linear flow of events. In the view I’m proposing, time is not only a dimension we move through but also a key component that constructs and sustains the very structure of the universe, in much the same way that space defines the boundaries of physical objects. From the fabric of spacetime to the most fundamental processes in the universe, time is deeply woven into everything, shaping reality itself.
In relativity, we know that time is intertwined with space, forming the four-dimensional fabric of spacetime. According to Einstein’s theory, objects in different regions of the universe experience time differently based on their speed and gravitational fields. This relativity of time shows that time is not absolute, and its passage can stretch or contract depending on the observer’s position and motion. This has profound implications for how the universe is constructed.
Time, in this view, is not simply something that flows independently of the universe but actively shapes the universe itself, forming its very structure. The strings of time—the spacetime continuum—define the relationships between events and objects, providing the context for how things exist and interact. Different regions of the universe may experience time differently because they are situated in different parts of this spacetime structure, and thus, their relationship to time is shaped by the local curvature of the universe.
Just as space can be warped by massive objects (like stars or black holes), time can be bent, stretched, or contracted based on the conditions of the universe. This is why people in different parts of the universe, moving at different speeds or under different gravitational influences, experience time in different ways.
Now, if time is such an integral part of the universe’s fabric, why do we experience it in such a limited, linear way? The answer lies in the dimensionality of our perception. We are three-dimensional beings, bound by our limited sensory and cognitive abilities. This constraint means we only experience time in a linear sequence—moving from the past, through the present, toward the future. We cannot access the full structure of time that builds and sustains the universe because we are only capable of perceiving the present moment.
However, if we were four-dimensional entities, our relationship to time would be fundamentally different. A being with access to the fourth dimension would no longer be confined to experiencing time as a flow of moments. Instead, they would see time as a complete, multi-dimensional construct—much like how we see a three-dimensional object all at once, rather than experiencing it as a series of two-dimensional slices. This would allow them to perceive the entire timeline of the universe as a whole, from the Big Bang to the eventual end (whether it be the heat death, a big rip, or a cosmic collapse).
In this way, past, present, and future would not be separate phases of existence but simply different parts of the same temporal landscape. A four-dimensional being could “see” the universe from beginning to end all at once, as if observing a giant tapestry of time stretched out before them. They wouldn’t experience time as something that passes, but rather as something static and manipulable, much like how we can move through space in different directions.
For us, time appears sequential because we can only move through it moment by moment, like flipping through the pages of a book without ever seeing the entire story laid out. But a four-dimensional being would have no such limitations. They could access different “blocks” of time, seeing not just the present moment but also the past and the future as readily as we see different points in space. From this higher-dimensional perspective, they could observe the entire history of the universe—from its birth in the Big Bang to its eventual collapse—all at once.
This also means that such a being might be able to manipulate time in ways we can’t even comprehend. Just as we can move freely in space, altering our position and direction, a four-dimensional entity could theoretically move through time with the same freedom, stepping between different moments and observing or interacting with them at will. What we experience as a fixed, unchangeable sequence of events would be fluid and dynamic to such a being.
The implication of this is that time, in its truest form, does not “flow” in the way we experience it. The universe as a whole exists as a complete entity, with all moments in time—past, present, and future—already existing within its structure. The “flow” of time that we perceive is a product of our limited perspective, constrained by our three-dimensional nature.
If we were capable of perceiving and interacting with time in its full dimensionality, we would see the universe not as something that is constantly changing or evolving but as a static, eternal structure, with every event from the birth of the universe to its eventual end already “there.” The idea of change, of moments passing from future to present to past, would be an illusion created by our limited vantage point. Time would not “move”—we would.
quoting note17s5…xrysThe Paradox of Time according to Aristotle