paper

The problem with `The Problem of Time'

arXiv:1811.09660

Abstract

We investigate three aspects of the supposed problem of time: The disagreement between the treatments of time in general relativity and quantum theory, the problem of recovering time from within an isolated Universe and the prevalence of a unidirectional time flow (i.e., the so-called arrow of time). Under our interpretation, general relativity and quantum theory have complementary time treatments given that they emerge from a theory of a more fundamental nature. To model an isolated Universe, we use the Wheeler-DeWitt equation and then apply the Page-Wootters method of recovering time. It is argued that, if the recovery of an experience of time is indeed viable in this framework, interactions and quantum entanglement are both essential features, even though the former is normally an afterthought or altogether dismissed. As for the one-way arrow of time, this is, from our perspective, a consequence of including the aforementioned interactions. But underlying our interpretation, and pretty much all others, is the necessity for causality. It is this fundamental tenet which accounts for our experience of time but yet can only be postulated. Our conclusion is that the `problem of causality' is what should be the focal point of future investigations.

arXiv comment47 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (12)