The Nature of Time: Geometry, Physics and Perception: 95 (NATO Science Series II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry) - Tapa dura

There are very few concepts that fascinate equally a theoretical physicist studying black holes and a patient undergoing seriolls mental psychosis. Time, undoubtedly, can well be ranked among them. For the measure of time inside a black hole is no less bizarre than the perception of time by a schizophrenic, who may perceive it as completely "suspended," "standing still," or even "reversing its direction. " The nature of time is certainly shrouded in profound mystery. This, perhaps, since the concept entails multifarious, and occasionally incongruous, facets. No wonder the subject attracts the serious attention of scholars on the one hand, and of the lay public on the other. Our Advanced Research Workshop is an excellent il­ lustration of this point, as the reader will soon discover. It turned out to be a unique professional forum for an unusually lively, effective and fruitful exchange of ideas and beliefs among 48 participants from 20 countries worldwide, selected out of more than a hundred applicants. The present book is based on the select talks presented at the meeting, and aims to provide the interested layperson and specialist alike with a multidisciplinary sampling of the most up-to-date scholarly research on the nature of time. It represents a coherent, state-of-the-art volume showing that research relevant to this topic is necessarily interdisciplinary and does not ignore such delicate issues as "altered" states of consciousness, religion and metaphysics.

This book provides the reader with the most recent scholarly insights into the nature of time - undoubtedly one of the most profound mysteries that science has ever faced. The selected contributions are grouped into four conceptually different yet mutually cohesive chapters, carefully woven into a comprehensive whole that goes well beyond standard treatments. The subjects discussed include the fine structure of psychological time(s) and consciousness, novel algebraic geometrical and number theoretic models of time dimension, different arrows of time, time travel, EPR paradox, quantum non-locality, pregeometry, and a host of relevant epistemological and ontological issues. The book shows that research is becoming necessarily interdisciplinary and does not ignore even such delicate issues as "altered" states of consciousness, religion and metaphysics. Although focused primarily on an academic readership, the treatise can be read with profit by anyone fascinated by the enigma of time. A coherent, multidisciplinary sampling of the most up-to-date professional research on the nature of time, addressing four major themes: internal times and consciousness, mathematical approaches to the concept of time, the physicist's view of time, and integrative science's views of time. Essential reading for anyone, scientist or layperson, with a serious interest in the topic.