Time
6th & 13th Jan Q&A with Bernardo Kastrup
"What then is time? If no one asks me, I know.
If I wish to explain, I know not" - Saint Augustine
What is time? Where does it go? How come I never have enough? Time has a way of humbling both the mystic and the mathematician.
We've had one session already on this topic on the 6th of July, based on questions below, but only got through a fraction of them, so we'll be back to consider the significance and implications of time within idealism on the 13th of Jan.
You can watch the last session here:
Amir Giles
Below, we welcome your questions and curiosities, and links to resources that might interest other members.
In anticipation of this meeting, you might enjoy these related resources:
Going Beyond Einstein: Linking Time And Consciousness
"Many physicists maintain that the passage of time is purely a feature of mind, beyond physics itself, while others argue that it points to some new physical paradigm, perhaps associated with the marriage of relativity theory and quantum theory. Certainly, the status of time in any final theory of physics remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that a theory that encompasses time and mind will have to go beyond Einstein’s Block Universe."
Thoughts from Bernardo and Dr Timalsina:
St Augustine:
"For what is time? Who can readily and briefly explain this? Who can even in thought comprehend it, so as to utter a word about it? But what in discourse do we mention more familiarly and knowingly, than time? And, we understand, when we speak of it; we understand also, when we hear it spoken of by another. What then is time? If no one asks me, I know: if I wish to explain it to one that asketh, I know not: yet I say boldly that I know, that if nothing passed away, time past were not; and if nothing were coming, a time to come were not; and if nothing were, time present were not. Those two times then, past and to come, how are they, seeing the past now is not, and that to come is not yet? But the present, should it always be present, and never pass into time past, verily it should not be time, but eternity. If time present (if it is to be time) only cometh into existence, because it passeth into time past, how can we say that either this is, whose cause of being is, that it shall not be; so, namely, that we cannot truly say that time is, but because it is tending not to be?"
Asking questions
Everyone is welcome to propose questions using the comments section below.
Questions are selected based on relevance to the discussion and audience vote. As such, make sure to write your question so that most can understand what you mean!
- Give it a short CLEAR TITLE in capital letters.
- Write an optional short description of what your question is about.
- Share further reflections below if you want, but if selected, aim for brevity when asking to help the flow of the discussion.
Also make sure to read the other questions and 'heart' the ones you are most curious about!
I look forward to seeing you on my dashboard soon,
With appreciation,
Amir
Zoom room for January:
6-8pm UK time / 7-9pm CET / 1-3pm EST