A Philosophy of How to Use Time - Essay Example

Isaac Newton defined several significant ideas including that of time. Even though he understood that clocks were imperfect and measuring time was subjected to human fault, he believed that absolute time was comparable to a worldwide, supreme God-like time, one similar to everyone, in all places; people would similarly experience time no matter the place. Since chronological time is solely somewhat adequate in an experiential sense and inadequate to clutch the meaning of aging, there is a need to combine both a broader cultural and a personal sense to revive other temporal perspectives.

The aim of both perspectives symbolized in the main positions of Augustine, Aristotle, the existential philosopher Heidegger, and phenomenologist Husserl, has been to make up time as such from their views. There are benefits that an individual might derive from the philosophy of time. First, there is a clear relationship between the human mind and time. St Augustine adopted a subjective opinion of time stating, "It is in you, O my mind, that I measure time,” (St. Augustine) meaning that the human mind structures a person’s perception so that he can know the fact that time is likened to a mathematical line.

In this theory, therefore, I believe that time is a form of conscious knowledge, and people’s sense of it is a vital condition of their sensations or experience. The philosophy of time is important in planning for the past, the present, and the future. C.S. Lewis argues that our life changes with time. He articulated that "The duration of consciousness is not the same as the consciousness of duration." (C.S. Lewis). One moment disappears when another moment sets in and this is what gives room for noticeable developments in one’s life.

This arrangement is not the only way that life is experienced by each one of us, but also the way by which all things happen or exist. We tend to assume that everything happens just the way we wish it to happen when time elapses. Philosophy of time is a crucial factor in each one’s life. Life comes with it the opportunity to discover the livelihood of a person, to learn about anything, and to relate with nature. Modern society has an impact on the daily lives of individuals and therefore, the sense of efficiency results in increased responsibilities and tasks, which must be completed within a short time.

No wonder Marcus Aurelius stated, "If you want to stop wasting your life in vain fantasies, perform every act in life as though it were your last," (Marcus Aurelius) to mean that people should not spend much of their time thinking of impossibilities, but rather use that chance to the maximum and their best. People need to employ their time wisely, avoiding too much hurry to pause and taste life; they should never lose their sense of the extensive value of a single minute. In the Zen philosophy and time nature, William Blake is quoted attributing, - "The essence of Zen is to learn to do just one thing at a time" (William Blake).