That's why mathematics are great when creating a working model that has nothing to do with reality, such as Ptolemaic navigational system.
In mathematics, you add a function the way you would add a molding or a knob on a piece of furniture, in order to complete it.
if you need a function called time you add it too! The Ptolemaic navigational system was based on observed "movements" ("tracks") planets left on the sky relative to stars over a course of one year. When noted positions were connected with dots Ptolemy had a "shape" and once he had a shape finding a formula that will produce that shape is relatively easy.
Once you have a formula (a relationship between given elements) you can "plug" in any one of the unknowns and get the answer. Thus for a given time of the year the position of a plane is known (i.e. is "predictable").
Science is interested in working models and working models can use any number of dimensions, inlcuding time.
A dimension is anything that can be measured. Time is a man-made measurement. But three-dimentional properties of physical things have been created by God.
Our earth travels through "space" at thousands of miles an hour, but it is really not going anywhere. It runs out it is circling the sun (going around in circles!). The Sun is going around in circles, but traveling around the core of the Milky Way, and the Milky Way is turning around in circles relative to an intergalactic gravitational center of the local galactic group of some five proximal galaxies.
We are really traveling at about 1,000 miles/hour just rotating around our own earthly axis!
But if we had a nuclear holocaust and only some children of afar off island in the Pacific survived, "time" would cease to exist as none of them would know how old they are, what year it is, or even what day it is. They would only know day and night. Until they invented time and started counting. But the universe would continue in spite of their ignorance and in spite of no one counting time.
But if we had a nuclear holocaust and only some children of afar off island in the Pacific survived, "time" would cease to exist as none of them would know how old they are, what year it is, or even what day it is. They would only know day and night. Until they invented time and started counting. But the universe would continue in spite of their ignorance and in spite of no one counting time.
Of course time would continue to exist, ... for the islanders would age (as would the rest of the universe), ... which is an effect of time.
Unless, of course, you are also of the viewpoint that a tree falling in the forest doesn't make a sound ... unless someone is there to hear it.