Aging Capriciously

What is the beginning of time? Scientists and philosophers have all puzzled over this question now for centuries. Currently we are told by physicists that all time began with the Big Bang. A giant explosion created the Universe and it was the beginning of everything as we know it. If you are more religious oriented, you will point to Genesis in the Bible as defining the beginning of time. However, what about the beginning of “using” time to mark the passage of minutes, seconds and days? When did humans start noting the passage of time? I propose the following scenario.

Picture a bunch of our prehistoric relatives sitting around a campfire. Matilda (one of our ancestors) notices that the fire is running out and wood is getting short. She suggests that perhaps the time the clan spends together could be measured in “log-woods.” One log-wood equals one increment of time. Two-log woods equal two increments and so on.  Log-woods had one draw back. Some logs were bigger than others and some wood did not burn as long as other wood. Eventually, the sun dial was created and measuring the amount of sun available replaced log-woods. The sun dial proved to be more reliable and accurate then “log-woods.”  Assuming that “log-woods” were ever really used as a measurement device.

It is much more likely that with births, aging, deaths, seasons and the planting of crops humans noticed the importance that time played in their lives and at some point realized the need to measure it. My cavewoman scenario is just a fiction. We can ponder over when and who but we may never know the answer as to when time was first measured or why.

But hypotheses which are somewhat fictions can keep us thinking. For instance, I believe the Big Bang Theory is a fictional description of how the universe was created. Not that I side with creationists or intelligent design theorists. It is more my lack of credibility in science. I delight in seeing the creative ideas that physicists have for trying to answer the riddles of the universe. I find it amazing that we gainfully employ armies of physicists who spend their time trying to figure out what the universe is doing, how big the universe is, and when the universe will end.  Scientists propose the most incredible theories to answer these questions with a straight face. The rest of us are so awed by “scientists” that we would not think of questioning their theories. Scientists have replaced witch-doctors and spiritual leaders when it comes to creating belief systems. I refuse to take these theories very seriously.  In the long or short run, it will not matter a hill of beans to me on how long the sun has left before it burns out.  Present theories estimate to our sun has 7–8 billion years left before it dies.  I guess it is one thing I can take off my “To Worry About” list.

What creates your belief system in the world? What or who do you rely on to create and define your reality? Do you question or accept whatever you are told? Why not question more and accept less? What do you think created time?