Did time have a beginning?
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The question of whether time had a beginning is a complex one discussed by various experts. Here's a summary of their insights:
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Sean Carroll posits that we don't definitively know whether the universe had a beginning since the Big Bang might not have been the absolute start. Classical general relativity suggests a beginning, but quantum mechanics introduces other possibilities. Therefore, it remains an open question whether the universe could have emerged from something preceding the Big Bang, implying a pre-existing concept of time 1 2.
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Paul Davies notes that Einstein's theory of relativity positions the Big Bang as the origin of time, suggesting there was no "before" it. This aligns with St. Augustine's idea that time and the universe were created together. Davies also relates this to ancient and spiritual perspectives of time, like the cyclical time view in some Hindu and Aboriginal traditions, which see time as eternal and recurrent 3.
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Lawrence Krauss explores the idea that time itself may have originated from the Big Bang. He touches on the concept that time is marked by change; if nothing changes, there is no time. This notion aligns with the physics view where time and space are interconnected, but the true nature of time at the universe's origin remains a profound mystery 4.
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Richard Dawkins elucidates that some physicists argue the concept of "before" the Big Bang is meaningless, likening it to asking what is north of the North Pole. Time as we understand it began with the Big Bang, though there could be other universes or previous cycles where different rules apply 5.
In essence, the beginning of time is still a topic of substantial debate among scientists and philosophers, with various theories suggesting different possibilities, but no conclusive evidence exists.
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