How is time a function of the fabric of nature, and not perception only?
Asked by: Dude
Answer
The second law of thermodynamics makes time a player in the 'fabric' of nature. It says
that a closed system's entropy (disorder) will increase over time.
For a simple example, think about breaking a rack of billiard balls. The initial ordered
arrangement becomes a random mix of balls. A video of the event run in reverse would be
instantly recognizable, since a random distribution of balls will not spontaneously become
orderly.
Other everyday examples, like a drop of ink spreading through a glass of water,
the breaking of an egg, etc. clearly show an arrow of time moving in a specific direction
independent of human perception.
Answered by: Paul Walorski, B.A. Physics, Part-time Physics Instructor
'There is no inductive method which could lead to the fundamental concepts of physics. Failure to understand this fact constituted the basic philosophical error of so many investigators of the nineteenth century.'