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Distances are "illusory" to some extent anyway. On a large scale, relativity makes both time and space dependent somewhat on other factors. On a small scale, qu
by Florin_Andrei 10y ago
Distances are "illusory" to some extent anyway. On a large scale, relativity makes both time and space dependent somewhat on other factors. On a small scale, quantum mechanics similarly de-absolutizes position (space) and momentum.
Space and time as absolutes appear to be a construct, a consequence of us being highly complex neural networks trained at a specific scale of the Universe - the "human scale" - as beings about 1 ... 2 meters in size. Absolute time and absolute space appear to be very real on this scale. But as soon as you leave this order of magnitude, and climb either up or down on the scale of things, this turns out to be mere provinciality.
- sandworm101 10y agoUp or down several dozen orders of magnitude. Time and space exist for the cells in our bodies, and for mountains, moons and most stars. Time and space only break down substantially for things smaller than molicules or large enough to twist spacetime back in itself (black holes). A mouse is no further away from the moon than a dog or elephant.
- Florin_Andrei 10y ago> Up or down several dozen orders of magnitude. I agree.
- sauronlord 10y agoTime and space does not exist for a mountain. Time and space are first and foremost concepts (ideas, opinions, "facts") Have you tried asking a mountain whether it ascribes the state "exist" to the concepts of time and space? It is true that time and space exists for humans thinking about the mountain however.
- sandworm101 10y ago> Time and space does not exist for a mountain. Time exists for the mountain. The mountain moves through time and is effected by time. The mountain is incapable of perceiving time. Neither can bacteria perceive dimensions, but they are still controlled by them.
- sauronlord 10y agoNo it does not A mountain is a part of spacetime. But it does not "exist" for the mountain. Certainly the mountain is affected by the environment and can be modelled with the spacetime concepts. But the mountain does not perceive anything, and therefore cannot compute isExist (spacetime)
- taohansen 10y agoI'm willing to call bullshit on this. Space and time may be constructs but they are "helpful" constructs in that they model specific forces which apply to both us and the mountain. I perceive the waste of this body over time: the mountain is subject to these same wastes and transformations as this body.