Concepts of Time
Measuring Time Itself Is ... Flawed
My writing here is mostly focused on technology and gaming. Being a general geek into all sorts of subjects and thought, sometimes an idea just sticks in your head and needs to be written.
I don't know the genesis of the idea forming in my head, probably watching sci-fi shows too late, but my mind starting musing on the concept of time. Specifically, how we measure it, account for it, and place meaning on it despite a limited view of it.
The idea in my head when I'm stating limited view of time is focused on the fact that every method we use to measure time is relative. It's relative to the rotation of the earth, relative to our orbit around our sun. All the significance we place on it's passage is not measured the same without this relative constant of earth.
An example to elaborate this can focus on something as core to most of us as our age. I am nearing my thirty fifth birthday, but that is still an arbitrary number based on when I was born followed by thirty five rotations of the earth around our sun. What if as humanity expands I was born and raised on Mars? Following the same relative basis I would be only half way through my eighteenth year of existence! So does my age as a number really mean anything?
One could attempt to make the argument that humanity as we know it originates from earth, and as such, any expansion we would logically still keep time based on our home world. But would we? Carry on the Mars thought. What if we're in a situation like The Expanse and Earth and Mars do not really get along, and have fought wars in the past to form very different cultures. Why would anyone born on Mars measure time as it occurs on Earth that they've never been too and maybe even have conflicts with?
The concept and thoughts are still developing and expanding even as I write, and I expect will continue to do so.
The argument holds for all measurements of time that we use. The length of a day is based on the earths rotation, and in near expansion, Mars is similar, other planets a day may be longer or shorter. The division of a day into smaller and smaller units from hours to minutes is an arbitrary and universally agreed to standard simply invented by powerful governments or religions through history.
In summary, at least for now, all of time is measured only be relative means. I'm certain quantum science or other think tank machines have and continue to dissect these concepts in significant detail beyond my comprehension. That however does not preclude my own exploration on the subject. Maybe time really is just wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff…