Time is an illusion?

Question

Can someone explain to me, in laymans terms the idea that time is an illusion, ive been searching for answers but i'm not a physics or philosophy expert so I dont understand some of the big words used.

Can somebody help me out!

Answer 1

If time is an illusion, so is space, velocity, acceleration, force, and every other physical concept.  If you want expounding on meaningless questions, go ask the philosophers.

Answer 2

Time is a non-spatial continuum that differentiates the occurences of events. In very layman's terms, time is what prevents everything from happening at once!

The mere fact that there is a beginning and an end proves that, else everything is illusion, which is absurd.

Things occur at different speeds therefore time is not an illusion but it is relative!

I hope you can proceed hence.

Answer 3

when you will be 71 as I, it is no longer an illusion

Answer 4

Time is not an illusion, it's simply our perception of the flow of events in the Universe. Although this perception is dependant on the so-called frame of reference, the events that we perceive do happen. If time was completely imaginary, then we would be able to stretch time to before the Big Bang - wich is impossible.

Time is an inherent property of the Universe, it's there, even though it's not absolute.

Answer 5

I don't really agree with this, but from what I understand, the idea is that time exists only in our heads - only because we think about time does it exist.  It's kind of like mind over matter - we believe it exists, so it does.  If you stop believing in it, it will cease to exist, at least for you.  If you believe that you can go backwards in time, you can.  At least, that's the theory.  It doesn't work out so well in practice.  Physics doesn't help with the explanation, besides a few technical terms; it's mostly philosophy.  Maybe some psychology, too, to understand why people think like that.  Me, I'll go with the idea that time is more like the fourth dimension, or something different altogether.

Answer 6

time is a dimension, so if it is an illusion, length, width and height are also illusions. this is not possible, or everything is not real.