Dear Amalya Sukiasyan , what do you mean by metaphysical dimension? To my mind yes, time is beyond physics (hence in the realm of metaphysics), however i always thought of it as a relation (i think this is the relational vs the substantivist view of time which regards it as a 'thing', a 'substance'), something that just keeps everything from having happened at once. as soon as one moves their hand or blinks, there's time (so in that sense it may not even be a mystery, it may be the case that this blinking and movement is all there is to the concept of time).

Best Wishes,

Haris

For anything physical to exist it must somehow in some respect and to some degree last or have duration; in that sense temporality is already "built in" as a dimension. The sciences can generally take the concept of time for granted and need not heed the philosophical/metaphysical/ontological question "What is time?" Nevertheless, developments in physics might still inform our understanding of the nature of time in ways relevant to the philosophical question. Metaphysics and physics lie on the same spectrum.

Thank you for your response. Time can be characterized both by temporality and eternity, depending on the context. It is interrelated to physics and metaphysics, exploring physical and non-physical dimensions of existence.

Dear Haris Shekeris, thank you for your insights. Since metaphysics is a branch of philosophy, exploring existential questions and non-physical realities, I've analyzed time in a being-related context. The metaphysical dimension of time refers to its transcendental nature, invincible power over the things which are part of temporality, and multifaceted layers of human existence. Time can be considered a mystery because it changes things while being invisible, creates epistemic noise while being silent, and fosters universal dynamics while being unmoved.

Dear Amalya Sukiasyan ,

I don't think time itself has any special significance. However, in the case of a conscious being, its significance is undeniable. In order to approach the objective as correctly as possible, we created time, to which we assigned an objective frame, which we implemented with the help of the clock. This frame is very good because the subjective image does not differ markedly from the created objective state.

Regards,

Laszlo

Dear Amalya Sukiasyan , I have to admit that the following sounds a bit poetic to me (or of a certain flavour of philosophy): "Time can be considered a mystery because it changes things while being invisible, creates epistemic noise while being silent, and fosters universal dynamics while being unmoved."

What do you mean by 'creates epistemic noise while being silent", and also what are unversal dynamics and what do they have to do with motion? As regards to this latter, couldn't we say the same about other concepts such as 'motion'? for example the concept of motion describes (ok, maybe not 'fosters') universal dynamics, but, as a concept, it doesn't make sense to label it as moved or unmoved. or are we talking Aristotelian causes here?

Best Wishes,

Haris

Dear László Attila Horváth, thank you for your response. Time existed long before the first human being appeared on Earth. The clock was invented to measure and track time, not to create it. The perception of time can be both objective and subjective, as stated in Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.

Dear Haris Shekeris, thank you for your remarks. I know that, in some cases, my language might seem poetic or infused with philosophy. It's simply my writing style, influenced by both my philological background and deep interest in philosophy.

The concept of epistemic noise refers to the world-changing nature of time: it affects individuals and societies at both psycho-cognitive and cultural levels. The chronology of cultures, philosophies, and literatures is essentially a reflection of how time has shaped human thought and action. Time drives these changes, as demonstrated through technological advancements, creative innovations, and shifts in mindset throughout the centuries.

Meanwhile, time itself remains unmoved—at least on physical and metaphysical levels. If my thoughts do not make sense to a reader, it does not necessarily mean they are senseless; rather, they may simply not align with one’s intellectual or philosophical preferences.

Dear Amalya Sukiasyan, your remark that time is a 'transformational power' suggests that you believe time to have the the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way. Similarly, your remarks regarding time as being 'a mystery because it changes things while being invisible' appear to assign some agency to time. However, perhaps time is rather the condition, or dimension, of reality in which duration and change may occur – 'time' itself having no agency at all.

Best wishes,

Steven

Dear Amalya Sukiasyan , i really like you style, definitely no issue with that! And i could even agree that time is a mystery, especially in that it affects everything (civilisations and individuals alike, as well as non-human things such as planets and whatever is born and dies). However, as I interpret Steven R. W. Gregory 's reply, it seems to me as well as more a condition rather than an agent.

Best Wishes,

Haris

Dear Amalya Sukiasyan ,

You confuse time with existence. In many cases, existence can be approached metaphysically. Look around your world, observe: none of the objects, animals, bugs, etc. ask such a question. They don't have clocks, they don't use mathematics... They became necessary because of human awareness.

I apologize for my criticism. If your time has a connection to metaphysics, then keep researching, just avoid Occam's razor!

Regards,

Laszlo

Dear Steven R. W. Gregory and Haris Shekeris, thank you for your remarks. Time is indeed a transformative power, determining duration and testing the endurance, changeability, and evolution of things. In this regard, time functions more as an agent rather than merely a condition.

Dear László Attila Horváth, thank you for your remarks. As Aristotle said, "To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing." Time is indeed a metaphysical and existential dimension. Animals do not track time with a clock, yet time still profoundly affects them. Time is closely interrelated with existence. Martin Heidegger, in Being and Time, explored the metaphysical dimensions of time and its connection to human existence. He highlighted how time is a fundamental aspect of being. Depth often appears as confusion to some.

Dear Amalya Sukiasyan, Heidegger certainly appears to be correct in suggesting time to be a fundamental aspect of being. It is difficult to imagine existence without temporal duration. Time is often referred to as the fourth dimension of the universe, and while the spatial aspects of reality allow three dimensional form, time allows that form duration. In that respect everything existing within physical reality may be said to be four dimensional, one might even say (speaking somewhat metaphorically) that those dimensions are the fabric of reality – but that is not to say that all, or any, of those dimensions cause or otherwise act upon physical entities. Heidegger himself (Being and Time, 1927) refers to the traditional [or philosophical] time concept as a neutral container of changes, measured out by now-moments, which moments are dimensionless points used to demarcate and count change.

Of course, it has become customary to suggest that time is responsible for many things, for example: ‘time heals all wounds’. In reality time heals nothing, it is over a certain time span that wounds heal.

None of this, however, appears to entirely address the question you initially ask and wish to discuss: ‘Is time a metaphysical dimension?’ – although you do appear to have answered it yourself in asserting that ‘Time is a transformational power. It changes everything, while itself staying unchanged’ and ‘Time is indeed a metaphysical and existential dimension’.

The term 'metaphysical dimension' has been understood to refer to a realm or plane of existence that is beyond the physical world, often considered to be non-material and accessible through altered states of consciousness, where concepts like consciousness and spiritual realities are thought to exist, rather than the tangible physical properties we experience in our everyday lives and – if this definition is appropriate – the answer is ‘no’: time appears to be quite real.

That said, time – as opposed to temporality, or temporal measurement – is yet to be fully understood. In fact Bardon (A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time, 2013) suggested that ‘there is no subject more mysterious and ineffable’, and Heurtebise (Science et Philosophie d’Aristote à Bergson, 2011) remarked: ‘Time is by definition something whose definition is evolving through time’.

A metaphysical counterpart to time has, nonetheless, long been posited: a condition which may be described as ‘not time’. Together, ‘not time’ and ‘time’ – absolute timelessness or atemporality, and infinite time – are indeed represented by a pair of words in Western languages: being, respectively, the precise meanings of ‘eternity’ and ‘sempiternity’. Such concepts are apparent in ancient Egyptian philosophy (Gregory Tutankhamun knew the Names of the Two Great Gods, 2022); moreover, in the Stamford Encyclopedia of Philosophy attention is drawn to the distinction made by Plato with respect to the ‘timeless eternity which only God enjoys, and the sempiternity which … the world itself possesses’ (Deng, 2018). The tendency to confuse eternity with sempiternity – ‘limitless duration in time’ – was discussed by Stump and Kretzmann (‘Eternity’, The Journal of Philosophy 78: 1981). The described contrasting connotations of ‘eternity’ and ‘time’ are apparent in the works of the late fifth-, early sixth-century AD Roman scholar, Boethius (The Consolation of Philosophy) – whose writings have been considered to have had some influence upon those of Thomas Aquinas: whose system was taught in all Catholic educational institutions following the edict of Pope Leo XIII, issued in 1879 (Russell History of Western Philosophy 1946).

Best wishes, Steven

Dear Steven R. W. Gregory, thank you for your insightful response. Heidegger's work is a valuable exploration of the essence of time and being, showing the horizons of non-physical, uncatchable, and intangible realities. The concept of 'eternity' and 'sempiternity' is thought-provoking, marking metaphysical differences within timelessness.

As the 6th-century Armenian philosopher and Neoplatonist thinker Davit the Invincible (Դավիթ Անհաղթ) said, 'The eternal is beyond time, unchanging and indivisible, whereas the temporal is subject to division and flux.'

Your poetic phrase, "the transcendental layers of time," resonates deeply with my own thoughts on the subject. I, too, have conceived of time as a multifaceted, layered reality that bridges the temporary and the eternal. The ephemeral nature of human experience is juxtaposed with the timelessness of the divine, and it is time that provides the connective tissue between these two realms.

As I reflect on the concept of time, I am drawn to the idea that it is, indeed, a metaphysical dimension – a dimension that transcends the physical, empirical world and speaks to the very essence of existence. It is the dimension that allows us to experience the world, to grow, to learn, and to come closer to the divine.

In the words of the Psalmist, "A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night" (Psalms 90:4). Here, we find the paradox of time, which is both fleeting and eternal, a mystery that lies at the heart of the human condition.

Thus, I concur with your Amalya Sukiasyan assertion that time is, indeed, a metaphysical dimension – a dimension that underlies all of existence, a bridge between the temporary and the eternal, and a symphony that writes the very fabric of the universe.

Thank you for your insights. The metaphysical essence of time is part of eternity, which challenges the temporal, makes human existence an ontological exploration, and transforms struggles into meaning. Everything on earth is limited by time—except eternity.

Dear friends,

I hope this doesn't sound a bit provocative (or more than a bit) given the context of the discussion, but I'd like to entertain with you the thought that eternity is a made-up concept, subject to the criticisms that (if i remember correctly) Hume had of the concept of God, as akin to that of the golden mountain. In other words, that we have the concept of time and temporality indeed ruling our lives and of everything around us, and we just make up a concept which is the opposite of that. But this procedure doesn't mean give any positive argument as to the procedure of this negation, any more than there is a reality in the word 'unred' which designates something which is 'the opposite of red'.

Once again, this is just a thought and I do not want to spoil our nice discussion.

Best Wishes,

Haris

Yes, based on my understanding, time can be considered a metaphysical dimension—particularly in philosophical and ontological terms.

Why Time Is Often Seen as a Metaphysical Dimension:

So, is time a metaphysical dimension?

Yes, in the sense that it raises questions that go beyond empirical observation:

• Is time linear or cyclical?
• Does the past still exist?
• Is the future already “there”?
• Would time exist without a conscious mind to perceive it?

These are not just scientific, but metaphysical inquiries into the nature of reality.