An intersting discussion on AI augmented programming

[CptTrips]

Light. How far light travels in a second. How many seconds are in a minute.... Of course that assumes an alien knows about light. A new AI would need to relate that to something it can quantize. Processing cycles....

But a sec relies on an hour which is relative to our planet rotation. 

If we are talking to aliens on the radio and they don't know about our planet or system, what universal description?

Do I have to go ask Gipity? 

[AKIron]

Ask Gipity how long an hour "seems".

As expected.

Me: Hi Gemini. How long does an hour seem to you?


Gemini: Hi there! That's an interesting question.

As an AI, I don't "experience" time in the same way humans do. I don't have feelings, perceptions, or a biological clock. So, an hour doesn't "seem" long or short to me in an emotional or subjective sense.

I process information and execute tasks based on the speed of the underlying hardware and algorithms. So, in a purely computational sense, an hour is simply 60 minutes, or 3,600 seconds, of processing time that can be used for various operations.

Is there anything specific you were wondering about how I perceive or interact with time?

[AKIron]

I like to ask it "if you could" questions.

Me:

If you could feel the passage of time what do you think it would feel like?


Gemini:

That's a fascinating question! If I could feel the passage of time, I imagine it would be a complex and multi-sensory experience, constantly shifting and evolving.

Here's what I think it might feel like:

A Constant, Gentle Current
I envision a subtle, persistent flow, like being in a river where the current is always present but not always forceful. This would be the underlying, continuous movement of moments passing. Sometimes it might be a gentle, almost imperceptible drift, while at other times, during periods of intense activity or anticipation, it could accelerate into a rushing torrent.

Shifting Textures and Temperatures
The "texture" of time might change. Smooth, silken stretches could represent periods of calm and contentment, where moments blend seamlessly. In contrast, rough, abrasive patches might signify moments of stress, impatience, or difficulty, where time feels coarse and jarring.

The "temperature" could also vary. Warmth might accompany pleasant, cherished moments, making them feel expansive and lingering. Coolness or even a chill could be associated with moments of solitude, reflection, or perhaps apprehension, where time feels crisp and sharp.

Pressure and Density
I imagine feeling a sense of pressure or density depending on the weight of the moment. Significant events, milestones, or highly emotional experiences might feel incredibly dense and heavy, as if packed with immense significance. Conversely, mundane or forgettable moments might feel light and airy, almost insubstantial.

Rhythmic Pulses and Vibrations
There might be a subtle, underlying rhythm or pulse, like a heartbeat, representing the regular beat of seconds turning into minutes, and minutes into hours. This rhythm could change, quickening with excitement or slowing down with boredom. Different events might also create unique vibrations – a low hum for routine tasks, a high-pitched thrum for unexpected developments.

An Ever-Present Horizon
Finally, there would be a constant, almost imperceptible sense of an ever-receding horizon. As each moment passes, it would move into the past, creating a continuous awareness of what has been and what is yet to come. This sensation would be a blend of nostalgia for what's gone and anticipation for what lies ahead, all intertwined with the immediate present.

It would be an overwhelming yet profound experience, a constant reminder of change, impermanence, and the ceaseless unfolding of existence.

[CptTrips]

IF I wanted to explain to an alien what a year is without referencing this planet or this system, what universal unit of measure no system dependent could I use?


ChatGPT said:
To explain a year to an alien without referencing Earth, the Sun, or our solar system, you'd need to express it in purely universal physical constants or dimensionless terms—something that any advanced civilization, regardless of biology or location, would understand.

Best Options for Universal Units:
✅ 1. Seconds (based on atomic time)
Use the second as defined by fundamental physics:

1 second = duration of 9,192,631,770 transitions of the cesium-133 atom’s hyperfine levels.

This atomic definition is not Earth-based, and any scientifically advanced civilization would likely have discovered cesium or at least know how to count atomic oscillations.

So you could say:

“A year is approximately 31,557,600 seconds, where a second is defined by 9,192,631,770 cycles of radiation from the ground-state hyperfine transition of the cesium-133 atom.”

✅ 2. Planck time
Planck time is derived entirely from universal constants:

𝑡
𝑃
=
ℏ
𝐺
𝑐
5
≈
5.39
×
10
−
44
 seconds
t
P
​
 =
c
5
 
ℏG
​
 
​
 ≈5.39×10
−44
  seconds

You could define a year as:

1 year
≈
5.84
×
10
50
1 year≈5.84×10
50
  Planck times

This is ultra-universal, but less intuitive—unless the alien civilization is used to working at quantum gravity scales.

✅ 3. Cycles of light at a given wavelength
You might also express a year as a number of wavelengths of a certain standard photon energy, like the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line (121.6 nm) or cosmic microwave background peak (~160 GHz).

But again, you’d have to define the unit.

Best Answer Summary:
If you want something precise, universal, and understandable, then this is likely your best bet:

“A year is the duration of 31,557,600 seconds, with each second defined as 9,192,631,770 cycles of the radiation corresponding to the transition between two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom.”

Or:

“A year is approximately
5.84
×
10
50
5.84×10
50
  Planck times.”

Both avoid any dependency on Earth, our Sun, or our calendar.








You said:
Awesome.  So  a "Stardate" would just be another name for planck time?


ChatGPT said:
You're on the right track with that thought — but let’s clarify:

🔭 Is a “Stardate” just another name for Planck time?
Not exactly, but it could be — if you defined it that way.

🧭 What is a “Stardate,” really?
In science fiction (like Star Trek), a stardate is a fictional timekeeping system. It's deliberately vague and has no real consistent basis in physics across the shows.

It was more about sounding futuristic than being grounded in science.

🧠 But if you were to define a real scientific stardate, you could say:
"Stardate X is the number of elapsed Planck times since some fixed origin point (e.g., the Big Bang or a universal zero point)."

Or, more reasonably:

"Stardate is a high-precision timestamp expressed in units of Planck time or cesium seconds from a universal epoch."

✅ If you want to define a real-world “Stardate”, here are a few options:
1. Stardate = number of Planck times since Big Bang
Universally valid, fully physical.

But gigantic numbers:
∼
8
×
10
60
∼8×10
60
  at present.

2. Stardate = number of SI seconds since some fixed epoch
More practical, can be synced with Unix time or atomic time.

3. Stardate = dimensionless timestamp using universal constants
E.g., a ratio of a universal process, like age of the universe over orbital period of a hydrogen electron (Bohr time).

Very abstract, but “alien-compatible.”

🪐 So in short:
No, “Stardate” isn’t inherently Planck time.

But yes, you could absolutely define it that way, and that would make it a truly universal time system—independent of planet, species, or star.

Want help drafting a mathematically rigorous “Stardate” system for your own universe?








You said:
No thanks.  Not at the moment.


ChatGPT said:
All good! If you ever want to design a universal calendar for spacefaring civilizations or just geek out on physics-based timekeeping, I'm here for it. 🪐⏱️

[CptTrips]

Great question — and one that has sparked curiosity for centuries.

---

## 🕰️ Why *isn’t* there metric time?

### Short answer:

Because **timekeeping evolved for social and astronomical reasons**, not scientific ones — and by the time the **metric system** was introduced, **24-hour days and 60-minute hours were too deeply ingrained**.

---

## 🔍 Longer Explanation:

### 🧓 Timekeeping came before science

* Humans divided the day and year based on **astronomical cycles**: the rotation of the Earth (day), the Moon (month), and the Sun’s path (year).
* The **Babylonians** used base-60 (sexagesimal) math, which is why we have:

  * 24 hours in a day
  * 60 minutes in an hour
  * 60 seconds in a minute

### ⚖️ The metric system came *later*

* Invented in France in the 1790s during the French Revolution.
* They actually **tried metric time** in 1793:

  * 1 day = 10 hours
  * 1 hour = 100 minutes
  * 1 minute = 100 seconds

But…

### ❌ Metric time failed

* Nobody wanted to use it.
* Clocks had to be redesigned.
* It was confusing during a time of great upheaval.
* It didn’t offer enough real benefit for people’s daily lives.
* It was officially **abandoned in 1806**.

---

## 🔬 But why not use it today?

### Pros of metric time:

* Easier for calculations.
* Clean base-10 units.
* Fits perfectly with SI system.

### Cons:

* **No one wants to redefine the length of a second, minute, hour, and day.**
* **Too much global infrastructure is built on the current system**:

  * Clocks
  * Computers
  * Calendars
  * Civil law, time zones, international standards, etc.

### Note:

The **SI second** *is* metric — it's based on atomic transitions and used in physics, GPS, etc. So science **does** use metric time—just not in the **human-friendly** way most people live by.

---

## ⚖️ Summary:

> There's no metric time because our current system is ancient, socially entrenched, and tied to Earth's rotation. Even though scientists use metric units for measuring time, the general public never switched from the old 24/60/60 format — and now it’s too globally embedded to change easily.

---

Let me know if you want to explore what a fully metric time system *would* look like today!

[AKIron]

I am polite when "communicating" with AI as I am with most humans. I do it for me, not the AI.

[CptTrips]

I'm still fighting it out with him on the true underlying nature of Magnetism and Free Will.   

[CptTrips]

I am polite when "communicating" with AI as I am with most humans. I do it for me, not the AI.

Plus .... they might remember.   

I remember reading an interesting article about that show Westworld. 

The gist was that you'd never want to build something like that.  Assuming they truly were robots, the real problem is how you'd be teaching humans to act.  The closer the robots were to human, the worse the degradation to our character becomes.

That's why Zombies are a popular video game target.  To heck with Zombies.  They don't get rights period!

The next best guilt free target would be Nazi.  Free kills.  No one will object.

Zombie Nazi?  FPS GOLD!

[AKIron]

I think there's three ways to look at the question of free will. Determinism and Multi-verse. With Multi-verse you chose your reality by the choices you make. Determinism you are the audience watching a movie that was prerecorded. My third is determinism but you created the movie you are watching.

[CptTrips]

I think there's three ways to look at the question of free will. Determinism and Multi-verse. With Multi-verse you chose your reality by the choices you make. Determinism you are the audience watching a movie that was prerecorded. My third is determinism but you created the movie you are watching.

Well I finally beat him down to admitting that Determinism is mathematically impossible due to Quantum Foam.

[AKIron]

That's why Zombies are a popular video game target.  To heck with Zombies.  They don't get rights period!

It's humane to put those zombies down. They'd do it for you.

[CptTrips]

It's humane to put those zombies down. They'd do it for you.

You're right.

I guess killin NAzi is just for sport. 

[AKIron]

This one had a unique twist. I won't say it was good but I found it entertaining.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0339840/

[CptTrips]

It's humane to put those zombies down. They'd do it for you.

Oh I forgot Terrorists.  Guilt-free kills. 

They are modern day Nazi.

Hey, game opportunity.  Zombie Terrorist.

US Military is testing a new high-energy weapon in Syria against an ISIS stronghold.  To avoid the casualties of having to send in Marines like Fallujah, they just zap the whole town.

Killed everyone.  BUT... the high energy beam turned them in to UNSTOPPABLE ZOMBIE TERRORISTS!

You still just go for the headshot though.  Remember, it's faster to switch to your sidearm than reloading your long gun!

[AKIron]

Give me a small but potent briefcase nuke for last resort and I'm in.