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... we cannot physically sense how fast we are moving through space/time which is over 550,000 mph when we include the rotation of the earth on its axis, its orbital length around the sun and the solar system's around the galaxy. To that we'd have to add the expansion of space/time itself which is accelerating, btw.

So here we are, hurtling through space at 550,000 mph, and instead of getting instant whiplash, we take no "physical" notice at all.

Might this be because we can't take notice of that which we do not "feel" or "observe." Via the bodily sensorium, whose access to information from/of "the outside world" is confined to sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste (and the highly articulated biophysical systems that facilitate the reports of perception/observation to the brain, etc.)

It seems to me there might be some kind of "time problem" implicit in the "whiplash vs. total insensibility" conundrum above.

Perhaps Einstein's concept of inertial frame has wider application than scientists — not to mention we ordinary mortals — usually deal with.

Anyhoot, welcome to this post, my dear brothers, MHGinTN and TXnMA!

[onedoug, the four of us have been kicking around "The Problem Of Time" backstage for a while now. It's been a perfectly marvelous and challenging exchange of knowledge and views, from many different backgrounds. And we have all learned from each other, and are still learning, I do believe. :^)]

Dear MHGinTN, I've been thinking about your account/theory of Time as involving linear/planar/volumetric modes. I just had to follow you there. So, trying to find a "mathematical" model, I started to imagine the problem by analogy to the Cartesian plane — which instantly depicts both the linear and planar dimensions.

At this point, I'm going to run away and draw some pictures. I'll be back ASAP.

Thank you dearest Alamo-Girl, sister in Christ for your outstanding observations!

It seems to me there might be some kind of "time problem" implicit in the "whiplash vs. total insensibility" conundrum above.

Indeed there is. And we cannot sense relativistic time any better than we can sense how fast we are actually moving through space/time.

Truly, one hardly ever hears even a physicist complete the sentence when he is talking about the age of the universe, e.g. ... from our present space/time coordinates.

Thank you so very much for sharing your insights, dearest sister in Christ!