Does time exist?
Does Time Really Exist?
By Andrew Zimmerman JonesUpdated on June 22, 2019
Time is certainly a very complex topic in physics, and there are people who believe that time does not actually exist. One common argument they use is that Einstein proved that everything is relative, so time is irrelevant. In the bestselling book "The Secret," the authors write, "Time is just an illusion." Is this really true? Is time just a figment of our imagination?
Among physicists, there is no real doubt that time does really, truly exist. It's a measurable, observable phenomenon. Physicists are just divided a bit on what causes this existence, and what it means to say that it exists. Indeed, this question borders the realm of metaphysics and ontology (the philosophy of existence) as much as it does on the strictly empirical questions about time that physics is well-equipped to address.
The Arrow of Time and Entropy
The phrase "the arrow of time" was coined in 1927 by Sir Arthur Eddington and popularized in his 1928 book "The Nature of the Physical World." Basically, the arrow of time is the idea that time flows in only one direction, as opposed to dimensions of space that have no preferred orientation. Eddington makes three specific points in regards to the arrow of time:
- It is vividly recognized by consciousness.
- It is equally insisted on by our reasoning faculty, which tells us that a reversal of the arrow would render the external world nonsensical.
- It makes no appearance in physical science except in the study of the organization of a number of individuals. Here the arrow indicates the direction of progressive increase of the random element.
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