# unravel the mystery

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unravel-the-mystery/552056>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 30, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unravel-the-mystery/552056 "2010-08-30T22:58:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unravel-the-mystery/552056/41 "2010-09-02T14:29:59Z")

</div>

> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> The future does not exist, except as a concept. The past is observable only through media, which is subjective, and therefore also does not exist. There is only the now.

And since it takes time for light/sound/etc to reach us, what we’re perceiving as ‘now’ really happened in the past. Which as Chefguy noted doesn’t exist. Meaning now doesn’t exist either.  
We return you to your timeless void, already in progress.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unravel-the-mystery/552056/42 "2010-09-02T14:37:41Z")

</div>

> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> > [@Zeldar](#):
> >
> > Perhaps this deserves its own thread…
> 
> Done and done: [Is Time an illusion? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=576800)

And well done! Thanks. I’m curious how that goes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unravel-the-mystery/552056/43 "2010-09-02T17:27:03Z")

</div>

> [@Zeldar](#):
>
> > [@Meatros](#):
> >
> > Time is an illusion.
> 
> Perhaps this deserves its own thread (or looking up those older threads where it has been the main topic) but I’d like somebody (you perhaps, **Meatros** ) to elaborate on this statement.
> 
> I know that _Time_ is that thing that clocks measure, and that it’s somehow a measurement of change or process. But to say it’s an illusion is like saying Reality is an illusion, to my way of thinking.
> 
> Serious question here.

I should, perhaps, clarify - the passage of time, IMO, is an illusion. Time is a dimension. I’ve continued this int he other thread.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unravel-the-mystery/552056.md?page=2)