*Note*: Café Philo is a way of meeting interesting, inquiring people who enjoy talking about life's big issues and conundrums in a convivial atmosphere, rather than a heavy-duty philosophy seminar. Read more about our approach [here](https://www.meetup.com/cafe-philo-bristol-bath/?eventOrigin=home_groups_you_organize).

**What is time?**
According to Pink Floyd, time is what "[ticks] away the moments that make up a dull day". Scientifically, a second is defined by physics as the duration it takes a caesium atom to emit a photon after receiving energy—a highly precise measurement that treats time as a fundamental, independent unit. But is time truly independent and consistent?

An alternative view comes from Einstein's theory of space-time, which treats time as inseparable from space. In this model, time is relative—affected by gravity and motion. For instance, time passes (slightly) more slowly for a satellite in orbit than for someone on Earth. This relativistic perspective has profound implications, challenging our understanding of a “universal” second.

But stepping back—**is time even real?** Could we explain it to someone who exists outside of it? We experience the *present*, but what about the *past* and *future*? While we can prove we’re reading this now, can we say the past or future truly "exist" in any real sense?

Historically, humans measured time in more experiential ways. Before clocks, people used phrases like a “Miserere whyle” (the time it takes to recite Psalm 50). In pop culture, the film *My Cousin Vinny* humorously questions the reliability of cooking time with: “Perhaps the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove?”

Today, we still use shared experiences to mark time—like how long it takes to brew coffee or sit through a meeting. But our **perception of time** varies. Try this: Start a stopwatch and stop it when you think a minute has passed—how accurate are you? This reveals your “time urgency,” an unconscious sensitivity to time that differs from person to person.

Does time feel faster as we age? Many say yes. One reason might be the relative lack of change in adult life compared to the rapid physical and emotional growth of childhood. Each year becomes less distinct, blending into the next. Novelty could also play a role—new experiences stretch our perception of time, while routine compresses it.

**Can we travel through time?**
Most physics equations are time-symmetric—they work the same forward and backward. But entropy (the tendency toward disorder) introduces the "arrow of time." Is that arrow real or just a product of our perception?

Memory might be a kind of mental time travel. When we recall a moment vividly, does our mind briefly revisit the past? Fiction often explores time jumps—films like *Back to the Future* or novels that shift between past, present, and future invite us to think differently about time's flow.

Eastern philosophy offers an intriguing model: walking backward into the future, with the visible past before us and the unseen future behind. Is this a better metaphor than the Western idea of marching forward into the unknown?

Indeed, which is the better model of time: linear or cyclical? Is the universe destined to loop back to a new Big Bang, or are we riding a one-way arrow through time?

Finally, can we **take**, **buy**, or **sell** time? A credit card balance transfer might literally “buy time” to pay a debt. Employment could be seen as selling our time. Should we instead be paid for our output?

May we share an interesting moment reflecting on the most valuable resource we have—time—and may this moment fly by.

**Further resources**

* [Philosophy of Space and Time: Are the Past and Future Real?](https://1000wordphilosophy.com/2022/06/24/philosophy-of-time/) (Dan Peterson, 1000-Word Philosophy)
* [Time isn’t real. Here’s how people capitalized on that](https://www.popsci.com/story/science/how-we-keep-time/). (Ainissa Ramirez, Popular Science)

David Magnus

Café Philo Bristol and Bath

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Time: What is it, how do we experience it and what is it worth?

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Café Philo Bristol and Bath

Time: What is it, how do we experience it and what is it worth?

Café Philo Bristol and Bath

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