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Again, an excellent book. However from the outset it is assumed that 'the riddle of time' and thus time itself exists.
For example,
(Preface Page 1) "...time entered science as a measurable quantity with the work of Galileo and Newton".
See...
From here on everything is framed in terms of time, and so every thing seems to confirm the existence, and mysterious nature of time.
though it does mention...
P 17 "important though Einsteins time turned out to be, it still did not solve 'the riddle of time' ... "Einsteins time has no arrow, it is blind to the distinction between past and future".
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In my opinion, Galileo and Newton did outstanding work on measuring and comparing examples of motion (in the present).
In particular they both sensibly compared the complex motion of the projectiles, asteroids, or planets they were examining to the simple motion of a real and existing regularly oscillating reference object (e.g. a pendulum). Or to the 'notion' of some ethereal, constantly passing, universal, one directional, 'count' - that they referred to as 'time'.
While using the idea of time, as being some ethereal and constant count, is extremely useful, doing so does not prove the existence of the past, or of the future. And therefor the existence of a thing 'time' flowing in one direction between these two unproven places, is unfounded.
Without time existing in the sense of a flow between past and future, all we are left with is matter and energy interacting - in mysterious ways - but always just now. (As we all constantly and directly observe).
In my opinion, unless the above possibility is at least seen, then anyone discussing 'time' may not be inspired to 'try and fit' all that they observe into the possibility of 'everything just being here now'.
see...
The arrow of time.
back to >>>11 Thoughts on Time Specific books.
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