The Physicist’s View of Time

Abstract

As is readily apparent from chapters 1 and 2, the notion of time per theories of physics, i.e., physical time, seems to lack crucial subjective qualities such as a preferred present and a direction/arrow. The papers in the first part of this chapter do make strides in reconciling psychological and physical time. However, subsequent papers indicate the nature of time per physics differs profoundly from the prima facie subjective experience. Thus, in seeking a theory of quantum gravity, physicists are exploring programs that will render the disparity between physical and psychological time even more pertinacious.