This category overlaps with Epistemology and Idea of "Other".
The concept of time, represented by the metaphor Greek God Chronos, is central to the human mind. It is intertwined with cause and effect (primorial Goddess Ananke) creating possible futures. I think Chronos more primordial than Ananke, you must recognize a future before you can decide to improve or predict it, which is what language, logic, and math are all about, controlling the fates (some say the fates are Chronos and Ananke's daughters). The idea of a controllable (Ananke) future (Chronos) gives rise to morality, or better or worse futures.
Morality is often whether one's actions enhance or detract from a better future, often applied to the community as a whole (e.g. nations, races, or Cubs fans). The problem is people never agree on definitions of a better future and how best to get there (nations, races, Cubs fans).
We have the ability to imagine infinite time; from the Big Bang 10 billion years ago to infrared decay 40 trillion years hence, from creation in 4004 BC to post-apholypse, from alpha to omega. I think a lot of people think of humans as the omega point of creation or evolution, in that rational beings will be around forever, never evolving beyond "humanness".
Time expressed in human terms has difficulty with the concept of deep time as I as a geologist have some familiarity with, but even I cannot understand the millions of years to make the Mesa Verde Cliffs out my window. Much long the human ancestors swung down from trees and stetched their legs on the Africa savannah. So a mere millions of years from now humans will no longer exist. Chronos is the primary source of human imagination from which the "other" world flows.
|
|