How do you define eternity?

[Ozzie]

[

quote=s2a;972159]I find your lacking illustration in support of your summary conclusion that my provided notion is "flawed", to be, um, severely lacking in any substantiation or credulity.

The absurdity of your rote dismissal ignores so many tangible and real measures of observation and experience as utterly meaningless gobbledygook.

Is it ridiculous to examine the measured life-span of a bacterium? Is it "flawed" thinking that prevails in determinations of acceptable shelf-lives of fresh milk? Is there no advantage nor insight to be gleaned from such knowledge?

Time is relative, ask the bacterium or Einstein.

Time is a measure of change.

No it is not.

Change defines existence within the human condition.

Huh?

The observable cosmos is not static. The cosmos exists in perpetual change, and we measure that phenomena as "time".

No we observe it as change.

This is not a matter of semantics.

It doesn't need to be.

Whatever you prefer to name/call/denote this ever-changing existence, by whatever favored phrase or terminology you choose ("It's not 'time', it's ying-yang watsooie!"); "time" is a valid and real concept the rest of us will look to as a reliable measure of change

A real and valid measure of change personally held.*whatever*

If time has neither meaning nor utility in your greater understanding of the cosmos, then I invite you to send me your entire collection or wrist-watches and clocks. I'm itching to find a good reason to sell useless stuff on ebay...given time...;-)

If you were my relative, I might bequeath that to you.

 

[roli]

I tend to agree that anything material cannot be infinite and is measurable in some way or anther. Something that is "eternal" cannot be measured and transcends our conceptions of math and time. Our perceptions and awareness are completely dependent on the passage of time and we cannot imagine an existence that doesn't include time.

Perhaps eternity is a "state" of existence outside of time.

"The Fourth Dimension is just one big crazy do not enter clambake jungle of weirdity -- and how does it work? Never mind!" - The Tick

Paul here is speaking of the day Christ returns and declares what will happen for moratlity to be swallowed up in immoratality.
Your correct if us not being able to even come close to comprehending what that day will look like or the scientific anomaly behind material which Pauls describes as corruption will be exchanged with incorruption.
This blows my mind ,what a thing to look forward to

1Cr 15:53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

 

[gnomon]

What does the concept of "eternity" mean to you?

Everything we can see, feel, experience, or even wonder upon...seems (to be) finite. Apparently enough (so far), everything that has some beginning point, in time, meets or achieves some end point of existence. That's what we can plainly see for ourselves. Faith in an "afterlife" is another matter...

Human beings are not noted to live for very long (even 100 years is pushing things). Few religious texts even account for any humans living beyond 1000 years of natural age. Some of the oldest living things on this planet are but 4000 years old or so...

Time itself is but a measure of change, and the indefinitely continued progress of an identifiable existence.

The sun continues to consume hydrogen in producing heat.
Our planet continues to orbit our sun. Our moon orbits our planet.
The cosmos continues to unfold, both creating and consuming both stars and planets not unlike our own.
Species continue to evolve.
People "change".
Stock markets rise and fall.
Life manifests itself through reproduction, mutation, evolution, consumption (of other living or dead things), and eventual (inevitable) expiration. It might be fairly observed that without death, life itself would be impossible.

OK. Standing in line at the DMV while waiting to renew your diver's license might "feel like" an "eternity"...but it isn't.

Anyway...

...just what constitutes "eternity"?

Does any "change" occur within an eternal realm of unending existence? If so, how is it perceived, absent any "beginning" or "end"? Can I unceasingly eat pizza for a billion years and have it seem like an instant, with no consequences of action? If so, have I "missed anything" that has transpired around me in those billion years? If not, then what value should I place upon the passing of a billion years that have no meaning or qualitative measure to me? If a billion years seems of feels like a day, or an hour, or a minute to me...then what value shall I place upon any efforts or deeds in those passing hundreds of millions of years?

If I think, my perception may change.
If I act, my surroundings may change.
If I wonder, my perceptions may change.
If I doubt, my resolve may change.

Finite qualities, subject to change in the measure of time.

If time has no measure, nor endpoint...then what does "an eternity" really mean to you?

Absence of momentum.