8. On time- Time made relative (animals and us)

Our appreciation of time is relative and meaning-driven. When we have a weak concept of our mortality, time may seem draggy. It may drip like a stale droplet of paint clinging to a wet wash wall and refuse to dry no matter how we stare at it and wish it so. However, the closer we get to our graves, the more rich an appreciation of time gets. Every moment has a gravity to it. Indeed, our appreciation of time depends on the meaning to which we attach to a subject matter with which it occupies. It impregnates and makes time laden.

Thus before personal meaning gets attached to any event, self-awareness is key. Manoj Thulasidas argues that animals are unlikely to have a sense of time since they do not possess self-awareness. I argue otherwise since animals with no self-awareness do have a sense of time, albeit not as sophisticated and meaning-laden as we do. Why? They may not know of time as limited in absolute. But I argue that they do know of time as limited. This is because they exhibit knowledge of moments and duration of such moments with which they often need to perform and complete important biological imperatives within.

They certainly can appreciate the sequential nature of time as well since they display appreciation of key moments that lead to each other in key processes. They are also able to link and harness previous memories into cyclical utility for the future when the cycle perpetuates itself.