Reversing Time

How Online News Reporting Challenges Physics.

Introduction

Time is an enigmatic and omnipresent aspect of the universe, a dimension that governs the sequence of events and the progression of life itself. Despite its pervasive influence, the nature of time has long been a subject of profound inquiry and debate among philosophers, scientists, and mystics.

Philosophical Perspectives on Time

The philosophical exploration of time encompasses a myriad of perspectives, each seeking to unravel its essence. Two predominant views have emerged: the tensed theory of time, also known as A-theory, and the tenseless theory of time, or B-theory.

A-theory: The Flow of Time

A-theory posits that time is dynamic, flowing from the past through the present and into the future. This perspective aligns with our intuitive experience of time, where moments seem to succeed one another in an orderly fashion. The present is seen as the only real moment, with the past existing as a memory and the future as a potentiality yet to be realized.

B-theory: The Block Universe

In contrast, B-theory presents time as a static dimension, akin to space, where all moments—past, present, and future—coexist simultaneously. From this viewpoint, time is like a block universe, with events laid out in a four-dimensional spacetime continuum. The passage of time is an illusion, and every moment is equally real, regardless of our perception.

Scientific Theories of Time

Scientific investigations into the nature of time have significantly advanced our understanding, particularly through the lens of physics. Two pivotal theories that have shaped contemporary views on time are Einstein's theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.

Einstein's Theory of Relativity

Albert Einstein's theory of relativity revolutionized our conception of time. According to the theory, time is not an absolute entity but is relative and intertwined with space, forming a single entity known as spacetime. The passage of time can vary depending on the observer's velocity and gravitational field, a phenomenon known as time dilation. This means that time can run slower or faster depending on one's position and motion in the universe.

Quantum Mechanics and Time

Quantum mechanics, the branch of physics that deals with the behavior of particles at the microscopic scale, introduces additional complexities to our understanding of time. In this realm, time appears to be quantized, with events occurring in discrete packets rather than a continuous flow. The interplay between quantum mechanics and general relativity remains one of the great unsolved puzzles in modern physics, prompting ongoing research and debate.

The Psychological Experience of Time

While the philosophical and scientific theories provide abstract frameworks for understanding time, our subjective experience of time is a deeply personal and variable phenomenon. The human perception of time can be influenced by numerous factors, including emotions, attention, and mental states.

Temporal Perception

Our sense of time is not constant but can expand and contract based on our experiences. During moments of intense focus or emotion, time may seem to slow down, while during periods of routine or boredom, it can appear to speed up. This malleability of temporal perception highlights the intricate connection between our cognitive processes and the passage of time.

Memory and Time

Memory plays a crucial role in our experience of time, allowing us to construct a coherent narrative of our lives. The way we encode, store, and recall memories influences our perception of the past and shapes our expectations for the future. Disruptions in memory, such as those caused by neurological conditions, can profoundly alter one's experience of time.

The Arrow of Time

One of the most intriguing aspects of time is its apparent directionality, often referred to as the arrow of time. This concept suggests that time has a preferred direction, moving from past to future, and is closely associated with the second law of thermodynamics, which states that entropy, or disorder, tends to increase over time.

Thermodynamic Arrow

The thermodynamic arrow of time is grounded in the behavior of entropy. As systems evolve, they tend to move from states of lower entropy to higher entropy, creating a sense of irreversibility. This principle underlies many natural processes, from the melting of ice to the aging of living organisms, and provides a macroscopic explanation for the forward progression of time.

Cosmological Arrow

The cosmological arrow of time is linked to the expansion of the universe. Since the Big Bang, the universe has been expanding, and this expansion provides a temporal framework for the evolution of cosmic structures. The direction of this expansion serves as a cosmic clock, marking the flow of time on a universal scale.

Psychological Arrow

The psychological arrow of time is rooted in our conscious experience. Humans perceive time as moving forward, influenced by our ability to remember the past and anticipate the future. This subjective sense of temporal directionality is a fundamental aspect of our mental lives and shapes our interactions with the world.

Implications of Time

The nature of time has profound implications for various fields, from physics and philosophy to psychology and metaphysics. Understanding time's multifaceted nature can influence our approach to scientific inquiry, our philosophical reflections, and our daily lives.

Time and Free Will

The question of free will is deeply intertwined with our understanding of time. If time is a static block, as B-theory suggests, then the future is already determined, raising questions about the nature of choice and agency. Conversely, if time is dynamic, as A-theory posits, then the future remains open, allowing for the possibility of genuine free will.

Time and Consciousness

The relationship between time and consciousness is a rich area of exploration. Our awareness of time shapes our sense of self and our continuity as individuals. Investigating how the brain processes temporal information can provide insights into the nature of consciousness and the mechanisms underlying our perception of time.

Time and Mortality

Our finite existence is inextricably linked to the passage of time. The awareness of mortality adds urgency and meaning to our lives, prompting reflections on the nature of existence and the legacy we leave behind. Philosophical and spiritual traditions across cultures have grappled with the implications of time for human life and death.

Reflections

I must say that I had not given much thought to all of these aspects of time. I do enjoy time travel stories (not so much Outlander) especially in the genre of  science fiction. I well recall moving quickly from Auckland Central Station to the Civic theatre to catch a matinee of George Pal’s “The Time Machine” starring Rod Taylor, and reading stories involving all manner of temporal paradoxes – if you travelled to the past and killed your grandfather would you still exist to do so.

On a daily basis I wake up about 10 minutes before the alarm goes off and I am very aware of the inexorable passage of time – the seconds and the minutes tick down until it is time to get up and face the day.

In this respect I guess the Arrow of Time seems most apposite. Rather like a story which has a beginning, a middle and an end, time flies like an arrow or flows like a river from point A through point B to point C and then continues.day

A Court case has a certain flow to it, accompanied by procedural requirements and the occasional break in proceedings when lawyers and Judge gather to unravel some mystery of evidence admissibility or whether what A said to B was in fact hearsay and if so did it fall within the myriad exceptions to the general rule that hearsay evidence is inadmissible.

The day’s proceedings in a Court case follow the Arrow of Time theory. The Court starts at 10:00am and proceeds until 11:30 am when there is a break. Generally Court resumes at 11:45 and runs on until 1:00 pm. Lunch break finishes at 2:15 (why not 2:00 pm is one of the Law’s many unfathomable mysteries which I have not been able to solve.) The afternoon session runs until 3:30 pm – another 15 minute break and the final session runs from 3:45 until 5:00 although the reality is that by 4:30 concentration is flagging. This routine is not inflexible but rather like the Arrow or River of time it has a certain inexorable direction.

The move by mainstream media to online platforms and the use of the array of digital technologies available have changed the fact of news reporting. Whereas in the analogue days newspapers dealt with print, radio dealt with audio material and television was radio with pictures, there has been a merging of the various forms of media. TVNZ runs stories in print along with video. The NZ Herald mixes and merges media so that text, podcasts and video may feature in the same section. Transmitting the message has never been so varied and the smorgasbord of digital options much challenge the appetite of editors.

Live blogging too has made an appearance. Whereas most news stories hit the page or the website fully formed, like Athena leaping from the head of Zeus, live blogging allows a minute by minute account to be posted to the website, continually refreshing the news, bringing a note of immediacy to the story.

But the way in which live blogging is reported is that the most recent entry is at the “top” of the story and the oldest entry is at the “bottom”. This can present a challenge for the reader who is used to the linear “beginning/middle/end” form of narrative. But the other effect of all this is that it allows the publication to play with and alter the direction of the arrow of time. No longer does the arrow fly straight and true from beginning to end but rather reverses it flight, turning on itself, making the latest entry first (when it should be last) and the oldest entry last (when it should be first).

This has been demonstrated most graphically by the New Zealand Herald’s reporting of the Polkinghorne trial. The usual narrative account of what has been happening during the trial is interrupted by the Live Blog. This blog provides details of the testimony that is given, generally without analysis or comment. It is not immediate. Court reporting rules require a ten minute gaps between the time that testimony is given in Court and when it may be reported. This is because there may be an admissibility, suppression or privacy issue that arises which may mean that publication of the testimony may be restricted.

As I write this I am looking at the Live Blog for 28 November 2024. The first entry on the blog, as I write, is for 11:37 am. As I scroll down there are entries for 11:09 am, 10:52 am, 10:33 am, 10:31 am, 10:28 am, 10:25 am and 10:02 am.

That means for a reader who wants a sequential account that the flow of time has been reversed. As I have suggested this is something of a challenge to the sequential theory of the passage of time.

The problem for the reader is that the Herald seems to be content in reporting the story in this way where the latest entry becomes the first entry which has some damaging consequences if a reader is wanting to find out what went before. Of course, scrolling down (we scroll these days rather than turn a page) solves the problem but for those who have, as I have for decades, enjoyed sequential story telling or reporting it poses an added layer or activity or difficulty.

The Herald is not alone in this approach to Live Blogging. Many other online journals employ it to give an air of immediacy to a developing story. Even the mighty New York Times, America’s newspaper of record, uses reverse sequence live blogging. Recently this has been a feature of its reporting of the Republican and Democrat Conventions and the speeches at those events by Presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

My initial thought after seeing the proliferation of Live Blogging during the Polkinghorne trial was to wonder why the Herald has chosen this reverse temporal sequence method of reporting. Surely with today’s technology it would be simple for the reports to be sorted in oldest to most recent order rather than the reverse.

The Herald has actually provided a solution. At the top of the Live Blog are the words “Latest” and “Oldest”. The default setting, and the reversal of time approach, is “Latest”. But for dinosaurs like me, who are familiar with Court proceedings and the way that evidence comes out, who prefer a chronological sequence that starts with the earliest event and ends with the latest, who developed a litigation and evidential aid that was used during the course of a trial to place events in chronological sequence, the “Oldest” setting should be the default. Then the account would conform with the Arrow of Time theory rather than have the media account interfere with the orderly passage of Time.