DOES TIME EXIST

Sme theorists in science and philosophy believe that time is an illusion—that it does not exist. Since the time of Aristotle, it has been held that if no one perceives time, then it does not exist. For time to exist, there must be a consciousness to register it. 

For Immanuel Kant, time is an *a priori* concept. For Albert Einstein, time is simply another dimension of space. He believed that time and space constituted a single four-dimensional structure; in doing so, he stripped both time and space of their independence. Theoretical physicist Julian Barbour believes that time does not exist; he even goes so far as to suggest that motion itself is an illusion. However, the truth is that time *does* exist. 

If time did not exist: 

1- Change (or "becoming") would not exist. 

2- Everything would have already happened. 

3- Velocity would not exist either, since velocity is equal to distance divided by time—that is, v = d/t. 

In the equations of physics, time seems to vanish; it does not appear to flow. Yet, reality differs from what those equations predict.

TYPES OF BECOMING (CHANGES)

 Changes are classified as physical, chemical, biological, meteorological, astronomical, social, digital, and geological. 

- Physical changes include: motion, fragmentation, electricity, magnetism, and energy. 

 - Chemical changes include: combustion, fermentation, and fire. 

- Biological changes include: birth, death, growth, aging, reproduction, and disease. 

- Meteorological changes include: rain, temperature, snow, wind, thunder, and lightning. 

- Astronomical changes include: the rotation and revolution of planets, satellites and stars, as well as gravity. 

- Social changes include: the family, wars, marriage, divorce, social classes, and elections. 

- Digital changes include: hardware, software, and programming. 

- Geological changes include: volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. 

Therefore, when we think about time, we must think about changes (becoming) and duration.

THE TWO ASPECTS OF TIME: THE BECOMING-DURATION DUALITY

 Becoming—or change—and duration—or measurement—are the two aspects of time. This represents a new perspective, even though I have previously discussed the becoming-duration duality. 

Becoming is the continuous and irreversible succession of changes or phenomena. Duration is the interval between two sequential moments, one of which marks the beginning and the other the end. 

In the becoming-memory-duration trilogy, memory is included because it is the medium in which the intervals—or measurements—of time are processed. The becoming-duration duality is an established concept, dating back to September 17, 2012. Time consists of becoming (which is perceptible) plus duration (which is sub-perceptible). Becoming may be either simple or periodic. In clocks, we observe a periodic becoming. From this perspective, duration is an epiphenomenon of becoming, rather than being time itself. The magnitive time change to; objective, becoming (perceptible), duration (sub-perceptible), and measurable. Prior to addressing this topic, I had not regarded becoming as an aspect of time, but rather as its material basis.

PRINCIPLES OF PHILOCHRONY

A scientific principle is a fundamental explanation, based on observations and experiments, that describes how a natural phenomenon functions. The principles of Philochrony are three: 1. Time is magnitive; 2. The Trilogy of Time; and 3. Time is an epiphenomenon of becoming. I have already explained principles 1 and 2 at length elsewhere. Here, it is appropriate to explain the third principle. 

Becoming is the continuous and sequential occurrence of changes and phenomena. An epiphenomenon is a phenomenon, accessory, or symptom that accompanies another primary phenomenon, without influencing it or causing it. Time is the physical magnitude that continuously increases in value due to becoming, and it is used to measure the duration of things. In a clock, we observe the movement of the hands (becoming) and we process the intervals (time) in our memory. Time, as an epiphenomenon, has no effect whatsoever on reality—that is, on things, objects, or phenomena. Aging, material deterioration, and the replacement of the old by the new are products of becoming.

Elvis Sibilia, Florida, United States