What Time is it Really?

 Background Information and Supplemental Material

     Among the most complex topics which philosophers and researchers discuss is that of how time is measured and the standards associated with such quantifications. Before addressing the Tal article that was assigned for this week’s blog, it is first beneficial to discuss some of the frequent challenges that arise in quantifying an entity that cannot be visualized nor accurately measured without significant difficulty. The supplemental material provided for this week does an excellent job in bringing some of these issues to light. 

     One of the sources that is very thorough pertaining to this matter of time’s complexities is entitled “Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge” by WiPhi. In this video, Professor Nagel introduces the concept of knowledge and how something can truly be “known” as opposed to “thought.” She gives the example of a girl who is outside in the rain. As such, she is able to state with a sufficient level of certainty that she knows that it is storming in that moment (Nagel 3:05-5:17). A man who is in a confined building without windows, conversely, is only able to think about it raining. Nevertheless, this same man may state with great certainty that he “knows” that something is going to go badly for him later in the day (Nagel 3:05-5:17). But does he really know? Truthfully, he cannot, since the event of which he speaks has not yet occurred. It is from this example that Professor Nagle is able to conclude that knowledge is not solely based on certainty, as one can seem quite sure of something that is not true. 

     This relates heavily to the Tal article on time’s measurements as scientists and philosophers have attempted to create a system of measurement that both reliably and precisely measures the concept of time. Nevertheless, as described by Tal, measuring time is affiliated with an array of complications. As discussed by the Kaltura video “What is Time?,” it is difficult to even define what time is, whether it has a beginning or an end, and where one should begin in his or her attempts to measure it (“What is Time” 0:00-1:30). Despite these obvious shortcomings in comprehending the vastness of time and its implications, it is still curiously possible for one to measure it, or so it is believed thus far, through the use of atomic clocks. Just as Professor Nagle’s words may be applied to this situation, the subject of time is one in which the scientific community believes that they “know” time’s measurement. Nonetheless, this does not signify that beliefs held today are not subject to change, or even are completely accurate. Having thoroughly addressed this interesting background information of time and its complications, it is next necessary to thoroughly address the Tal article.  

Tal Article Development and Blog Questions

     One of the central points of Tal’s article entitled “Making Time: A Study in the Epistemology of Measurement” is that of standardization. While generally referring to the process of bringing into conformity with a standard in order to assure consistency and regularity, Tal emphasizes that this procedure is more accurately defined as “an ongoing activity aimed at legislating the mode of application of a quantity concept to exemplary particulars” (301). Relating to time measurement, this is a continual activity that is informed by empirical data. This process of legislation to standardize the measurement of time consists of a series of models that are designed to account for both theoretical and concrete objects and processes. The models are modified in light of new empirical data presented and the instruments for measuring time are modified to ensure stability (Tal 331). This system allows sufficient space for both “natural and social explanations” in the process of stabilization.   

     The first blog question for this week pertains to how a second is defined. According to Tal, a second has been defined since 1967 as “the duration of exactly 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to a hyperfine transition of caesium-133 in the ground state” (Tal 301). This definition signifies that time is centered around the concept of an electron moving from one energy level to another within an atom of  cesium-133, an isotope of cesium that is used in atomic clocks in order to demonstrate the scientific standard of time. Therefore, this not only shows the duration of the standard second, but additionally, that the frequency of the atom is uniform. As such, the periods of the atom are equal to one another. Nevertheless, Tal is certain to warn against a certain aspect of this definition, namely, that the frequency described prior is “highly idealized” (301). Tal writes, “the caesium atom in question is at rest at zero degrees Kelvin with no background fields influencing the energy associated with the transition” (301). 

     Only under the ideal conditions listed by Tal would an atomic clock be perfectly stable, leading to many concerns over the ability of clocks worldwide to accurately and uniformly measure time in seconds. It is for these reasons that scientists have continued to develop different styles of clocks that seek to address the difficulty in achieving the ideal conditions for electron transitions. For example, one style known as the “caesium fountain” marks seconds by tossing the electrons into a vacuum and allowing them to naturally fall to count the seconds (Tal 301). It should be taken into account, however, that there are some difficulties in using this method of measurement. As these clocks are quite complicated and must be frequently checked for complications. As such, most caesium fountain clocks are only run for a few weeks at a time about five times a year (Tal 301).

     Finally, it is essential to explain what standard clocks measure, according to Tal’s article. Standard atomic clocks measure time’s passing through the atomic transitions that occur within them. These are generally connected to their “frequencies,” but time was not always measured in this manner. For instance, before the year 1952, the concept of time was measured through the rotations of the Earth. After this year, this postulation was replaced with the Earth’s orbital time and its motion in association with the moon (Tal 302). As clocks are now “standardized,” this implies that they are held to a specific standard and are coordinated in some way. This would be how all of the clocks in the world can function as one system in relation to one another. It is at this point that Tal delineates the concept of Coordinated Universal Time. 

     Through the system of UTC, there is a measure of time whose most basic unit is as close as possible to the standard second. As Tal writes, “UTC is an abstract measure of time: a set of numbers calculated monthly in retrospect, based on the readings of participating clocks” (Tal 305). As a result of this computation, a specific table of numbers is produced that demonstrates “a nation’s local approximation of UTC has been running in the last month” (Tal 305). Through this process, the clocks of the world are able to partake in a system among one another in order to construct the concept of world time. This is how standard clocks are utilized in a system that allows one to approximate time while taking into account the contributions and readings of clocks around the world.

Conclusion

     It is clear that clocks are an intricate part of how we view conceptions of time today, but rarely does one stop and think about how these intricate devices came to be. As discussed by Tal, initial perceptions of time centered around the Earth’s rotations and later, around the Earth’s orbital movement in relation to the moon. Coordinated Universal Time has arisen as a manner to account for clocks in different nations in fomenting a worldwide system of time measurement. In addition, a second is defined as “the duration of exactly 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to a hyperfine transition of caesium-133” (Tal 301). However, as the ideal conditions for this include zero degrees Kelvin, many clocks, such as the caesium fountain, have been developed to account for this proper environment. Tal’s article is an excellent source of information regarding this usage of clocks and their overall development over time, as well as how standardization of time continues to be beneficial overall.

Here are two videos relating to our discussion on time and caesium clockwork:

https://youtu.be/ml8mXtDbwqs

https://youtu.be/l8CI3bs9rvY

                                                           Bibliography

Nagel, Jennifer. “Jennifer Nagel.” Wi, 2016, wi-phi.com/videos/introduction-to-theory-of-knowledge/.

Tal, Eran. Eran Tal: Making Time: a Study in the Epistemology of ... 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3OXd7mnYJI.

“What Is Time?” NIST, 26 July 2017, www.nist.gov/video/what-time.