In this post, we consider how a relational ontology reframes time not as a fixed external parameter, but as emergent from the network of relations that constitute reality at the quantum scale.
1. The Challenge of Time in Quantum Theory
Quantum mechanics typically treats time as a classical parameter: external, continuous, and absolute. However:
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Quantum processes, like tunnelling, raise questions about how to define durations and sequence at fundamental scales,
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Relativity shows time to be relative to observers’ states of motion,
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There is no consensus on a quantum theory of gravity that would unify time’s treatment across scales.
This invites rethinking time’s ontological status altogether.
2. Time as a Measure of Change in Relations
Relational ontology shifts the view:
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Time is not a background container but a measure of change in relational configurations,
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Temporality arises from transitions between states of coherence within a relational field,
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“Before” and “after” are meaningful only within the context of ongoing systemic actualisation.
Time is thus processual, inseparable from becoming.
3. Quantum Indeterminacy and Temporality
Quantum indeterminacy complicates classical time notions:
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Outcomes emerge probabilistically, not deterministically over a fixed timeline,
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Events may be temporally diffuse, without sharply defined moments,
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The “speed” of quantum processes (e.g., tunnelling) depends on relational constraints rather than an absolute clock.
This suggests time itself may be context-dependent and emergent, not fundamental.
4. Implications for Measurement and Causality
If time is relational:
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Measurement outcomes are punctuations in a temporal field of potential,
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Causality is not a simple chain but a network of interdependent actualisations,
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The classical notion of a single, linear “arrow of time” becomes a macroscopic approximation of a deeper, entangled temporality.
Relational time accommodates quantum phenomena without forcing them into classical temporal molds.
5. Toward a Relational Quantum Temporality
Viewing time relationally opens new avenues:
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Time is a dynamic topology shaped by coherence and constraint,
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Quantum events are temporal nodes within a fabric of relational becoming,
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The passage of time is an emergent property of systemic tension and resolution.
This perspective aligns with emerging approaches in quantum gravity and quantum cosmology.
Closing
Time at the quantum level is not a universal ticking clock but a dynamic unfolding of relational potential. Its nature depends on the ongoing actualisation of the quantum field’s coherence, challenging us to rethink temporality beyond classical intuition.
In the next post, we will explore how this relational view impacts our understanding of space, complementing our discussion of time.
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