From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!uwvax!doug
Newsgroups: net.misc
Title: Re: what is time
Article-I.D.: uwvax.510
Posted: Wed Jul 28 09:14:52 1982
Received: Fri Jul 30 01:34:10 1982
References: uwvax.503 watmath.3098


You are right that it doesn't matter what we believe since it is all fixed
anyway.  Fortunately, however, I am a non-objective human and can't bring
myself to live according to this doctrine - even if I think it's true.  It's
probably a result of evolution.  Those creatures who think they control
their destiny probably just happen to be those who survived (i.e., here comes
a car - I shall move out of the way and avoid getting hit).

I think, maybe, that things like our sense of passage of time are the
products of a successful evolution.  But do they have merit physically?

Is not space-time just there?  If we really do exist in a 4-dimensional
space-time then isn't some sort of determinism natural?  It is not as though
we exist in "space" which is independent of "time".  Are they not supposed
to be all of the same structure?  How can we "move" from one point in
space-time to another?  Move with reference to what?  What is the "rate"
of the passage of time?  dt/dt?  

Any suggestions out there?