Why is nature often referred to as Mother Nature and time as Father Time?

Question

If all things are natural including time then why refer to time as Father Time. Why do we personify nature and time?

Answer 1

It's a vestige of earlier religious systems.

Mother Nature = Gaia /Demeter, etc., the Earth Mother or Cthonic Goddess, a worldwide religious phenomenon

Father Time = Cronos, Bran, Saturn, etc., the Mediterranean Basin god of history, secrets, and the unfolding of time

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The word nature comes from the Latin word, natura, meaning birth or character (see nature (innate)). In English its first recorded use, in the sense of the entirety of the phenomena of the world, was very late in history in 1662; however Natura, and the personification of Mother Nature, was widely popular in the Middle Ages and can be traced to Ancient Greece in origin. The pre-Socratic philosophers of Greece had invented Nature when they abstracted the entirety of phenomenon of the world into a single name and spoken of as a single object: Natura. Later Greek thinkers such as Aristotle were not as entirely inclusive, excluding the stars and moon, the "Supernatural", from Nature. Thus from this Aristotelian view—nature existing inside a larger framework and not inclusive of everything—Nature became a personified deity, and it is from this we have the origins of a mythological goddess Nature. Later medieval Christian thinkers did not see Nature as inclusive of everything, but thought that she was created by God, her place lay on earth, below the heavens and moon—Nature lay somewhere in the middle, with agents above her (angels) and below her (daemons and hell). For the medieval mind she was only a personification, not a goddess. The modern concept of Nature, all inclusive of all phenomenon, has returned to its original pre-Socratic roots no longer a personification or deity except in a rhetorical sense, a bow to her illustrious traditions.

Father Time is a personification of time. He is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, dressed in a robe, carrying an hourglass or other timekeeping device (representing time's constant movement) and a scythe. This image is culled from several sources, including the Holly King, the Celtic god of the dying year, and Chronos, the Greek god of time.

Because of their similarity in name as pertaining to parental figures, he is sometimes paired with Mother Nature as a married couple.

In various New Year's Eve customs, Father Time's image is used as the personification of the previous year (or "the Old Year"), who "hands over" the duties of time to the Baby New Year (or "the New Year"). In this case, his old age is emphasized (in particular, he may be depicted walking with the aid of a stick).

Sometimes, due to the relationship between death and aging, Father Time is associated with the Grim Reaper.

Answer 3

The very core of humans is the Mother , we think of her as kind and some days volatile and uncontrollable such is Mother Nature. Father time is the kindly old man that our fathers sometime turn into and we wish for kindness from him.

Answer 4

This can be resolved as it can be seen that men are greater than women, and time is greater than nature. This is why they are personified so.
The reson that time is greater than nature can be seen if you imagine a woman with the ability to manipulate nature and a man who can manipulate time. The woman may have great powers such as weather control but if they were to have a fight the man who could bend time would easily win as he could slow down time to such an extent, essentially stopping it. The man could then knockout the woman before she has the chance to use her powers.

Answer 5

I think Mother Nature stems from prehistoric and ancient Mother Earth Goddess religions.

Answer 6

In early history, fertility gods were usually female. Since Earth has been worshiped as a fertility god it has stuck in that form.

The Father Time issue has been male is many cultures. There isn't a clear explanation on why time is a male, but it seems to have been that way since time has been embodied.

Answer 7

these stem from ancient greek myths. Cronos was the god of the heavens, and Gaia was the godess of the planet earth. They were the mother and father of all the gods and godesses. Some old phrases stay with us forever.

Answer 8

Well because Father= Male and men have no concept of time...(relationships/marriage) and Mother=female and look their best when they are natural...we have natural beauty!!!

Answer 9

maybe its because men (as in father time )ironically are always in a hurry and slow in turn(eg honey aren't you ready yet?) they often procrastinate too (eg that squeaky garage door he keeps promising to fix) mother nature is beautiful in all her splendour giving, warm, loving ,and moves with a gentle hand . thats just my guess.

Answer 10

I like your question.. yah.. why?