🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Sep29.171545.806@prim> prim!dave@germany.eu.net (Dave Griffiths) writes:

)The wierdest thing about time is the fact that you can sit there and
)observe it flowing at a certain "rate". If you imagine our four dimensional
)universe as being like a reel of film, why does a character in any one
)frame have the impression that he is travelling in a particular direction
)with a particular speed through the film? To be aware of time flowing
)almost seems to require one to be outside it.

What gives time a direction is (IMO) thermodynamics.  One of the consequences
of thermodynamics, according to Hawking in 'A Brief History of Time'
is that you can't remember the future.  (Not really too surprising :-)).
I don't recall the details, but basically a 'memory' device (like a
flip-flop, for instance) according to good ole thermo _can_ remember the
past, but not the future. Hawking argues that this is what gives time its
directional quality, and I tend to agree.

I also think the percieved 'velocity' of time depends on past experience -
this is a subjective thing, but as one gets older, time seems to fly by
faster (IMO).  I think this is because any given amount of time is shorter
compared to one's lifespan.  Then there are mood elements to the subjective
passage of time - when you're bored, it can seem like an infinity, but good
times often seem to go by too quickly.