What is now?
Send a person to stand on the sun, ok, be kind, give them asbestos boots, with instructions to shout ‘Now’ at the same time as you. Stand in your garden on a cloudless day and look at the sun through smoked glass. Can you see him? Are you ready? Shout ‘Now’ and wait. 18 minutes later you see him shout back ‘Now’. The question is, ‘why did he wait so long? Look at it from his point of view. He shouted as soon as he saw you shout so his now is 9 minutes after yours but, from your point of view, your now is when you shouted and his now is 18 minutes later. We now (!) have three ‘nows’. Which one is the real ‘now’. Depends on your point of view.
Interesting thought, Richard. Either there are lots of nows, or no nows at all, as it's too fleeting to exist! So, all of this is an illusion - we aren't really here, or were we and will we be? Head hurts! Bring on the soothing music.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a partial proof that reality is only for those with no imagination.
ReplyDeleteThe illusion is that it all depends on your point of view - very relevant for writers.