Re: Interesting read

["Robert L. Vaessen"]

Sean -

Thanks for visiting Rob's World!  I'm glad you enjoyed your visit.

Time doesn't go anywhere.  Time does not flow in any sense.  Nor is it 
a medium that we move through.

Time (in my opinion) is something we created in order to explain the 
way we experience events.

All events that can happen coexist in a static matrix.  An overlapping 
coexisting multi-dimensional universe. We (human kind) are only capable 
of experiencing or processing specific static events in a sequential 
and linear manner.  Our experience of events appears to unfold in a 
sequential series.  We ascribe time to this sequential processing of 
experienced events.  We use time based terms such as first, most 
recent, previously, a year ago, etc. in order to describe the series of 
events, and the order in which they occurred (were 
processed/experienced).  Actually, the events themselves are fixed and 
never changing.  It is only the way in which these events are processed 
by our consciousness that makes it seem like time is passing.

Your question regarding the comatose state is a good one.  First we 
must define a comatose state.  If it is one in which the consciousness 
is stopped, then as you have suggested, my theory seems to fall apart.  
However, when I describe my theory about the non-existence of time and 
motion, I attribute the static matrix of events, and the conscious 
processing of events to the self.  To you, or me, to the direct 
experience.
	If you were in a coma (consciousness suspended), but then came out of 
the coma ten years latter, how is it that events would seem to have 
changed around you?  As you indicate, it would seem as if time were 
continuing around you.  That it (time) was the driving force behind the 
changing events, not your experience of them.
	I would suggest that your consciousness was not actually suspended, 
that we (humans) are not capable of suspending our consciousness; short 
of death, and maybe not even then.  That despite the fact that you may 
not be able to recall events that occurred during your coma, your 
consciousness was not in fact suspended.  Your consciousness continued 
processing nodal events without storing them in your memory.  Your 
consciousness continues processing events down the nodal path, despite 
the fact that you are 'unconscious'.  Perhaps 'consciousness' is not 
the correct term for what I'm trying to convey.  Perhaps I shouldn't 
use the term consciousness in my theory of 'no time'.  Regrettably, I 
cannot think of a more appropriate term.  I'm trying to describe the 
essence of being, of 'self'.  That which makes us living.  The force 
that differentiates self aware living beings, from the inanimate 
unliving things within the universe.  It is this force, imbued in your 
physical body, which I am talking about when I use the term 
consciousness.  I'm not talking about consciousness in the medical 
sense.  Not in the sense of being aware of your surroundings.

Perhaps you could suggest a word that more accurately describes that 
which I am trying to convey?

I hope that this explanation helps to clarify your question regarding 
the incongruity presented by the comatose state.  Your 'comatose' 
question is also applicable, in some regards, to the sleeping or 
dreaming state, or any state where a person is unaware of their 
surroundings.

- Robert


On Wednesday, Jan 1, 2003, at 22:08 America/Denver, Sean Anderson wrote:

> Hello there,
>
> I just stumbled across your web page on the i-net on the subject of 
> no-time. If I understood your column correctly ( I might not of as 
> I'm terribly bright ) but you said that time is just basically the 
> progression of one experience to another or one event to another. My 
> question arises as to what happens to some one if they stop 
> experiencing things? As say if the person is in a coma. They have 
> effectively stopped their node matrix but doesn't time keep going? 
> Sorry if this is a dumb question as I just started getting interested 
> in this whole science thing. Well, anyway. Interesting read and have 
> a good new years!