How does our brain create the perception of time?

Question

Have you ever felt that time seems to be slower or faster?

Answer 1

yes its weird, some people will say its because of when you're having fun times...blah blah blah.
But it is real, and I know it gets worse as you age, there is rarely a day, when I'd say today is really slow, its mostly what happened its so late? Is it just a perception for me or others too, at that particular day.Well lets elaborate at this question.

Answer 2

Time was perceived by the primeval man through the presence and absence of day light, and the changing phases of the moon as recurring features with a pattern to them. Once day and night were identified as broadly equal then the Zenit position of Sun wasaccepted asthe point of division of the day into two halves.The activities occuring at, before and after this cardinal point got that feature as an adjective or adverb which further got refined as early in the morning, late in the afternoon etc.Precise instruments to monitor the passage of time were created much laterwhen the importance of records became evident.

There are individuals who have perfected their brain's skill to monitor the passage of time without the help of a watch.Obviously the brain has carried forward this skill from the pre-watch days!

As for the feeling of time slowing down or fleeting past fast. this is a direct function of the attitudes towards the tasks at hand. WHEN YOU FEEL GUILTY THAT ESSENTIAL TASKS HAVE REMAINED UNDONE , YOU FEEL THAT TIME IS RUNNING FAST. WHEN YOU DON'T LIKE TH JOBS IN HAND, THE TIME IS PERCEIVED AS NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH.

Answer 3

The brain has learned to perceive Time as we have taught it - it has the concept of how long a second or a minute is, so in an unbiased state, we can sense how long a period of time is. Of course, the measurements which are less than one solar day are created and imposed by Man.
In a biased state though, say if you are really enjoying something, or you need to finish something important within a certain time, you want the moment to last longer than it does, so Time appears to be speeding up, as it is all over too quickly. Similarly, when you are experiencing something unpleasant, or boring, you wish for it to be over as soon as possible, so Time appears to be slowing down as it is not over quickly enough.

Answer 4

Firstly... "Lover" has way too much time on her hands :-)

It is something we learn. However, while "Time" might be a manmade concept, we can't deny that we are moving around the sun, and each time the sun rises (so to speak), new things have happened.

So our brain doesn't create the perception of time passing... we tell our brain how we perceive time passing, by whatever else is happening at the time (pun intended).

If you are engrossed in something, then time is not important, and it appears to pass quickly. If you are bored out of your mind, then all you can think of is time, and the minutes take forever to pass.

:-)

Answer 5

Maybe its the heart - after all it takes a finite amount of time for each heartbeat. The sun rises and sets. the moon waxes and wanes. Things change along a linear scale. "TIME" passes. The "big bang" recedes into the far far distant past and maybe just maybe approaches in the far far distant future. No man present or past understands the workings of the human brain fully, we call that an enigma.

Answer 6

Man has an inbuilt metronome, a heart. It is not perfect and can race while being chased by a hungry lion or skip a beat when confronted by a beautiful lady or somersault when your team wins or you get a big raise. But it does come with a life-time guarantee. Its tempo can change to follow the beat of a drum especially within our favorite music. It rests at night but never sleeps. Take good care of it and it will take good care of you. Good luck.

Answer 7

Who says its your brain that creates the perception of time or not??

Answer 8

Time does not exist it is a man made thing. Something for us humans to count down our existance.

Answer 9

i do not know the answer, but i do no that it makes time go much faster as you get older!

Answer 10

Surely, you jest