does the past still exist ?

moon man · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:13

just wondering if the past still exists or is it instantly gone and only exists in memory but then as the light has to travel from objects we see and our brains have to process this then we never see the present
does the past exist or maybe even the future as well
been thinking about this a lot for some reason

Caged · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:14

Put the bong down

lafemmefatale · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:15

moon man said:
just wondering if the past still exists or is it instantly gone and only exists in memory but then as the light has to travel from objects we see and our brains have to process this then we never see the present
does the past exist or maybe even the future as well
been thinking about this a lot for some reason

Yes.
No.
Maybe.

All valid answers.

Nitefly · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:16

OP on target for his philosophy masters.

pooley · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:16

apt username lol...come back down to earth

Malevolence · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:16

According to Prof. Brian Cox (and I tend to agree with him), yes it does. Everything that has ever happened at some point still exists somewhere in spacetime.

almoststew1990 · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:17

Time doesn't really exist as a 'thing' does it? It's sort of the X axis of the universe. Energy + (or maybe multiplied???) time = stuff.

Gilly · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:18

almoststew1990 said:
Time doesn't really exist as a 'thing' does it? It's sort of the X axis of the universe. Energy + time = stuff.

It depends upon your definition of time. Entropy and decay show us that time exists, or is this not what you were getting at?

uber soldat · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:18

No

/thread

lafemmefatale · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:18

Malevolence said:
According to Prof. Brian Cox (and I tend to agree with him), yes it does. Everything that has ever happened at some point still exists somewhere in spacetime.

At which point in whose spacetime does the big bang exist?

Wizzfizz · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:20

Malevolence said:
According to Prof. Brian Cox (and I tend to agree with him), yes it does. Everything that has ever happened at some point still exists somewhere in spacetime.

In which case means jack all

something daft already!! · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:21

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so.

Gilly · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:22

howiepoohs said:
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so.

Do you know where your towel is?

something daft already!! · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:23

A hoopy frood always knows.

godinman · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:23

lafemmefatale said:
At which point in whose spacetime does the big bang exist?

Your mum.

robfosters · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:24

Isn't sound a bit like this? By the time you hear a sound it's already in the past because the instance of that sound production has passed but the sound has travelled and still exists, but is also in the past.

DaleTheWhale · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:24

almoststew1990 · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:24

Gilly said:
It depends upon your definition of time. Entropy and decay show us that time exists, or is this not what you were getting at?

errr... in my peasant mind I think we all know time exists but it is not a 'thing' that can be altered by man or the universe (unless black holes do? Or do they just affect light, light which shows us the 'stuff' that was happening at a moment in time). It's kind of a constant. Maybe the only constant in the universe?

PhysicsMan94 · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:24

lafemmefatale said:
At which point in whose spacetime does the big bang exist?

The Big Bang exists in all locations in space-time, in every frame of reference - a lot of people have the misconception that the Big Bang "exploded" outwards into "space" but in reality it was an expansion of the entire universe itself, everywhere was the Big Bang.

steve45 · 13 Jul 2016 at 20:26

You know what, i've just finished watching Brian Cox' new episode of Forces of nature, He has a truely wonderful way of putting across and explaining complicated Physics and such, in a way that is beautifully simple.

This week he addressed this very subject.

Specifically 51min onwards
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...ature-with-brian-cox-2-somewhere-in-spacetime