Time To Be Physical or Non-Physical; That is the question.

Premise 1: Time as a Non-Physical Framework

In this premise, time is viewed as a non-physical framework, a system not grounded in tangible, observable entities but essential for describing the changes in physical systems. Time itself is not an object or substance, but instead a system for measuring and organizing the evolution of events. While time is not something we can touch or directly interact with, it serves as the structure that allows us to understand how physical systems evolve.

For example, clocks illustrate this: they rely on physical processes, such as atomic vibrations or celestial motion, but the concept of time they measure is not itself a physical entity. Time functions as a tool for understanding how the universe’s physical components change.

Premise 2: The Necessity of Physical Interactions

This premise highlights that time is inseparable from physical systems and processes. Time cannot exist without interactions between physical entities. Physical phenomena, whether on macroscopic scales (e.g., planetary motion) or microscopic scales (e.g., atomic vibrations), provide the basis for measuring time.

• Planetary motion defines astronomical time.
• Atomic vibrations define atomic time.
• Cosmological expansion informs cosmological time.

Without these physical interactions, we wouldn't be able to define or measure time. Time, in this sense, emerges from the physical processes it tracks, and the flow of time is inherently linked to the behavior of matter and energy.

Premise 3: Time as a Mediator of Physical Processes

Rather than passively existing, time serves as a mediator of physical processes, helping us describe the evolution of the universe and the interaction of physical systems.

For example:

• In Newtonian mechanics, time mediates the motion of objects and their interactions with forces.
• In thermodynamics, time governs processes like energy flow and entropy increase.
• In quantum mechanics, time governs the evolution of wavefunctions, describing the behavior of particles at the quantum level.

In each of these fields, time is not separate from the phenomena it describes; it is intrinsically tied to them. Time actively shapes how physical systems evolve and changes, serving as a measure of these dynamic processes.

Logical Conclusion: Time as a Physical Property

From these premises, we can conclude logically that time cannot exist independently of the physical world. If time is a tool grounded in physical interactions, used to mediate those interactions, it is inherently physical in origin and function.

While time might seem abstract in its application, it is rooted in physical reality. Time emerges from and is a direct consequence of the physical world. It is not something that exists outside of or beyond the physical universe but rather emerges from the interplay of physical phenomena.

Expanding on the Argument: Temporal Flows as the Core of Reality

Building upon this idea, I propose a shift in perspective: time is not just something we use to measure physical events, but is fundamentally embedded in the fabric of physical processes. Instead of merely linking time to space as in Einstein's theory of relativity, we should see time as the very substance from which space and other physical phenomena emerge.

In this model, temporal flows are the basic, irreducible elements of reality. These flows govern the evolution of space, mass, gravity, and curvature. The flow of time itself generates the conditions we observe as the structure of space and the dimensions of the universe. Temporal flows are not merely a passive measure; they are the drivers of change and the foundation of all physical existence.

This framework challenges traditional physics, where particles and fields are typically considered the basic building blocks of reality. Here, temporal flows replace those concepts as the core constituents of the universe.

Conclusion: Time as the Measure of Temporal Flows

In this framework, time does not exist as an abstract, standalone entity. Instead, it is the measure of temporal flows—a quantification of how these flows evolve, interact, and change over time. Time is the tool that allows us to track how these flows accumulate, diverge, or interact across different regions of space.

Thus, time is deeply tied to the motion and progression of these flows. It is not a static backdrop to physical events but is inseparable from the fundamental dynamics that give rise to space, mass, gravity, and all observable phenomena. This is how time, while intangible in itself, becomes as real as the physical phenomena we observe and interact with, shaping the very structure of reality.