Janet, Keiner, Einstein and Sandra - some of the world's greatest philosphers

Post date: Jul 29, 2015 2:20:6 AM

I am procrastinating - or at least letting my scrambled thoughts on a Pharmac submission mull over and thought "Must share this article from Herald with family" Austrian Maximilian Kiener has designed an interactive website that illustrates French philosopher Paul Janet’s theory of the perception of time from 1897. You find it here http://www.maximiliankiener.com/digitalprojects/time/

I warn you a great deal of patience and persistence is required to get through the first year!

Before you think I have totally lost the plot - Janet’s theory is that our perception of time passing more rapidly as we get older is about our perspective. For example, when you are 1 year old, a year is 100% of your life. But the proportion falls sharply as you age. By the time you're 8, a year is only 12.5% of your life. By 18, that proportion has fallen to 5.56%. So the summer of your 20th year feels as long as your whole 76th year. After 30, the proportion begins to level off, and each year of your life is similarly short. So Mark, Stacey, Adrian, Tony and I all perceive time passing at about the same rate. Even Nana because it's not till you're 98 that the difference is noticeable again. Maria and Tim still find it slower!

So the 9 weeks until we are all together again will go past very quickly. The challenge will be to make the 10 days we are together feel like longer!