Re: Time

[Charles A Crummer <ccrummer@cats.UCSC.EDU>]

On Sun, 25 Oct 1998, David Emigh wrote:

> Hi all,
>     I have a fairly bright freshman student in my modern physics for poets
> course who is trying to genuinely grapple with the nature of time.  I am
> looking for additional readings that I can give her  to supplement my rather
> operational approach to the issue. I am looking more for things to stimulate
> her interest than any particularly deep discussion (of course when she is
> hooked.....).
>
> Thanks for you time.
>
> David Emigh

I found "The Laws of Form" by G. Spencer-Brown to be extremely 
stimulating and a different take from the standard physics 
understanding.  G S-B presents and arithmetic, algebra, and calculus of 
what he calls the Form.  The reader can explore its ramifications by hand 
or on a computer.  ("Reentering the Form" requires an analog device.  You 
could make one with simple relays and delays.  An analog computer is the 
easiest to explore with.)

G S-B presents the notion that time is the dimension in which values of 
statements like: "This statement is false." lie.  One can generate an 
infinity of such statements (maybe even uncountable!).  The analog of the 
above statement is a simple buzzer.  When it's off, it turns on.  When 
it's on, it turns off.  The square wave produced is the analog of the 
value of the statement,  T F T F ....

	Charlie