Summary: Do Processes Measure Time or Instantiate It?

One of the fundamental questions about time is whether it exists independently as something that measures processes, or whether processes themselves bring time into being. In this post, I explore how we can move beyond the Newtonian assumption of time as an independent framework and instead see it as something instantiated by the unfolding of processes.

Does Time Measure Processes, or Do Processes Measure Time?

At first glance, it seems natural to say that processes occur within time, as if time were an independent container that measures how long things take. But if we shift perspectives, we can instead ask whether time itself is only instantiated through the unfolding of processes.

Rather than viewing time as a neutral yardstick against which events are measured, we can say that:

➡ Processes instantiate time. That is, time does not exist separately—it only becomes actual through processes unfolding.

This distinction matters because it shifts us away from seeing time as an external entity and toward understanding it as an emergent feature of change.

Unpacking 'Processes Instantiate Time'

At first, the idea that processes instantiate time may seem counterintuitive. But consider how instantiation works in other domains:

• Meaning is instantiated when a potential meaning becomes actual in language.

• A musical rhythm is instantiated when a sequence of beats is played.

Similarly, time is instantiated when a process unfolds. There is no “pure” time that exists outside of actual change. Just as rhythm does not exist in silence, time does not exist without unfolding processes.

If all processes ceased, time would not continue to exist as a background entity—it would simply not exist at all. This means that actual processes instantiate both themselves and time.

Does This Mean Time Is Relative to Each Process?

If time is only instantiated through unfolding processes, does this mean that different processes each have their own independent time? Not quite. Instead, processes can be related to one another, allowing us to compare their unfolding.

We often describe time in terms of reference processes:

• The Earth’s rotation is a process that we use to measure days.

• A clock’s ticking is a process we use to measure seconds.

• A heartbeat is a process we use to measure biological rhythms.

But crucially, these are all just relations between processes. There is no independent time running in the background—only different processes unfolding in ways that allow comparison.

Addressing Potential Weaknesses

Any strong theoretical position should be tested against possible challenges. Here are three that might be raised against this view:

1. What About Relativity?
   If time is instantiated by processes, does this contradict the time dilation effects seen in Einstein’s relativity? Not at all—relativity describes how different processes relate to each other under different conditions. Time dilation does not mean time is an absolute entity that “stretches”; rather, it means the relation between unfolding processes changes depending on velocity and gravitational fields.

2. What About Quantum Superposition?
   If time is instantiated by unfolding, what happens to time when a quantum system is in superposition? The key here is that even before wavefunction collapse, the system still undergoes unitary evolution—a type of process. The measurement event simply picks an instance from the evolving potential.

3. Does This Mean There’s a ‘Hidden’ Process Supporting Time?
   Could there be an underlying process behind all other processes that “keeps time going”? This would bring us back to an aether-like theory of time, which we have no evidence for. The simpler explanation is that time is always instantiated locally by unfolding processes rather than by a universal background process.

Conclusion: A Fully Relational View of Time

By reframing time as something instantiated by processes rather than an independent framework, we can remove unnecessary assumptions and contradictions. Time is not an absolute yardstick, nor a separate entity—it is simply the relational unfolding of processes. When we compare durations, we are not measuring against an independent time but rather relating different processes to one another.

With this refined view, we can finally let go of Newton’s ghost and embrace a process-driven, relational understanding of time. And as always, the sharpening of ideas continues!