Publisher's Synopsis
Ask someone "What time is it?" and the response will be without hesitation. However, ask "What is time?" and you will get a quite different response. The answer to this question and others, such as "What is the true nature of space? are presented in an understandable manner for the non-specialist. Both time and space are words that have common everyday conversational meanings, and both have less familiar, deeper meanings. The common meanings and usage of time and space are considered, then reconsidered from a deeper more formal, yet understandable, perspective. Put another way, space and time are considered, and then reconsidered to show that these common notions about space and time are possibly wrong and that new ways of thinking about time are possible, desirable, and even necessary. Current knowledge of the vastness of the universe and the unexpected strangeness of the micro-world require that we rethink some of our most strongly held beliefs. We need to remember that many of our beliefs originated thousands of years ago, in the setting of a small universe, and where earth was the center of that universe. Although modern cosmology has many questionable notions, enough of it is established to the point where rethinking our place in the universe is both desirable and necessary. As this work progresses, it becomes increasingly conceptual and speculative. In this way, the author opens new doors into our world, which provides enrichment and a greater appreciation for the complexity and wonder of our world. It is safe to say, that some things that now seem complex will be simplified and some things that seem simple will become more complex. In this way, the author opens new doors into our world, which provides enrichment and a greater appreciation for the complexity and wonder of our world. Portions of this book may be common knowledge to some, new and novel to some, and, possibly, completely absurd to some. I hope that not too many will have the latter experience. Of course, the same reader could have all three experiences.
