how can the present exist?

[dannyday5821]

in terms of time - im sure everyones come across this question atleast once before...but anyway...

if time can be broken down to something as small as miliseconds and nanoseconds, surley you can just keep breaking it down and down into smaller and smaller measuments, perhaps into infinity - so therefore, by the time ive even "thought" anything, time has already passed....right? so the "present" cant be possible...right?

[lajohn]

Max, I think you'll make a great teacher.

[~max~]

Aw Lajohn thank you! I'm still so happy after your first compliment! :O)
I'm actually going on a teaching course in September!

[lajohn]

that's great to hear. you'll make a wonderful teacher. hope you get decently behaved students and not unmannerly, spoiled brats. much success with your new job.

[rov1200]

Yes a very good subject. A scientist was given a Nobel prize just a few years ago for users lasers to get down to the Fempto second which is 10^-15. This enabled him to study atoms at the molecular level such as hydrogen.

[rov1200]

Following on from my previous answer.....its well worth a read and if you can get it his nobel presentation.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/l aureates/1999/press.html

[rov1200]

Here is the nobel lecture. Not only an interesting lecture but a brilliant lecturer also.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/l aureates/1999/zewail-lecture.html

[fo3nix]

Why does time have to be a continuum?

It could simply be that 'present' is simply a very small amount of time (on the order of Planck time, for example).