– Is time a real, tangible thing, or just a concept invented by humans that doesn’t actually exist?

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Also, if time does exist, doesn’t there have to be a definable beginning or end? Otherwise it’s just infinity which to me suggests the absense of time.

I partially read “The Discoverers” by Daniel Boorstin several years ago and he discussed how different societies conceptualized of time and how they kept time. And it has had me wondering ever since. Then I started exploring Zen Buddhism which emphasizes the present moment as the only tangible reality, along with the illusion of the ego, which only furthered my questioning.

EDIT – I am aware that the concept of time is based on the revolution of the Earth and it’s moon. However, that is just how humans conceive of time. That’s not proof of time itself.

EDIT 2 – The explanation of timespace and relativity is the best from an objective point of view. No matter how much I read or watch, it was always a bit hard to grasp but it makes sense in terms of change or entropy. The reality of time being flexible vs the human perception of time being linear and unchangeable gets closer to what I am asking.

EDIT 3 – “Exist” is a tricky word.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Time exists, and it is flowing in a one way direction. This is called the arrow of time. It has a beginning – the Big Bang – and a hypothesized end – the Big Chill. You experience the existence of time every single day.

It is *also* true that time is perceived subjectively, which is what Mr. Boorstin might be alluding to. Our subjective perception of time is influenced by language, psychological state, hormones, drugs, and more. We also know that other animals might perceive time differently.

This is not in conflict with the existence of time.

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