Speaking of time: You know this whole causality thing, which is taken the p… of rather nicely in the image below, is quite important on a fundamental level.

The only instances during which we establish a timeline for sure is when an action has caused a consequence. For example, when you exclaim your displeasure at being hit in the head by an apple, then we know that your “Ouch!” has happened after the release of the ripe fruit by the tree. There is a cause to the exclamation: It is caused by nature following its intended course.

What came first, a divorce in Maine or a margarine sandwich?

When a causality cannot be established, things become slightly more complicated. Imagine seeing a star in the night sky. It’s a billion lightyears away and actually a supernova. At one point it won’t be there anymore. Imagine observing that very moment. To you, the star disappears while you looked up.

Did it, though?