You're making the assertion that it's impossible to say anything about time that's empirical, that isn't upon deeper examination a statement about human conscio

You're making the assertion that it's impossible to say anything about time that's empirical, that isn't upon deeper examination a statement about human consciousness. Yes that's a valid point and well-taken. But there is a big difference between "impossible" and "just really really hard". And that's where modern physics is right now. And if we were able to get a better handle on the hard problem of consciousness, the riddle of "what is time" might also yield. So it's back to the metaphysical debate about whether the strict materialists are the ones who are "right" in all of this. Matter goes through "events" that have cause and effect relationships, but can effect ever precede cause? I don't see how you can empirically claim to have sufficient knowledge to answer that question. But that's just me, I'm sure you see it differently.