Time
On linear versus cyclical time, and time in general (Inspired by Jen's recent entry):
America, and many other countries, see time as a line. We are born and the line begins, we die and the line ends. As a product of my culture, this is how I view time as well. I would argue that goals are related in that they have a beginning (making the goal) and end line (accomplishing it, or not). In races, we have a "finish line." There is an "end of the year." And so on.
I read part of this book titled Time's Arrows, and it discussed the belief of cyclical time. Intriguing, isn't it? According to this theory, everything makes one big loop. There is no end, no beginning. As Jen put it, "what is now will return, as will what was in the past." As they say, "History repeats itself," and I think it often does. I don't know that everything is a cycle, though. Maybe to some extent within our life spans there are cycles (Think: the daily grind), but then we die, and I don't believe in reincarnation, at least not in the generic sense. Looking at it scientifically, perhaps some plants and animal remains are born again in that they help fertilize the ground which grows more plants which feeds more animals, but other than that...
As for time itself, I think it's a construct, in the sense that we deem each day as having 12 hours, and each night the same, with 60 minutes in each hour, and 365 days in a year. I think that there's a basis (like how many hours it tends to be light outside, etc.), but the notion of time is not as precise or well-founded as it could be. I'm not trying to object to our entire system of time, but just to spark some enthralled (or even playfully interested) thought.
America, and many other countries, see time as a line. We are born and the line begins, we die and the line ends. As a product of my culture, this is how I view time as well. I would argue that goals are related in that they have a beginning (making the goal) and end line (accomplishing it, or not). In races, we have a "finish line." There is an "end of the year." And so on.
I read part of this book titled Time's Arrows, and it discussed the belief of cyclical time. Intriguing, isn't it? According to this theory, everything makes one big loop. There is no end, no beginning. As Jen put it, "what is now will return, as will what was in the past." As they say, "History repeats itself," and I think it often does. I don't know that everything is a cycle, though. Maybe to some extent within our life spans there are cycles (Think: the daily grind), but then we die, and I don't believe in reincarnation, at least not in the generic sense. Looking at it scientifically, perhaps some plants and animal remains are born again in that they help fertilize the ground which grows more plants which feeds more animals, but other than that...
As for time itself, I think it's a construct, in the sense that we deem each day as having 12 hours, and each night the same, with 60 minutes in each hour, and 365 days in a year. I think that there's a basis (like how many hours it tends to be light outside, etc.), but the notion of time is not as precise or well-founded as it could be. I'm not trying to object to our entire system of time, but just to spark some enthralled (or even playfully interested) thought.