The following presents an analysis of the relationship between humans and time. A description of the historical development of the human ability to conceptualize and measure
time is provided and why humans have a need to measure time is examined. Specific examples of how, as time measurement has
become more detailed, it has changed human behavior are noted.
The human ability to conceptualize and measure
time has changed over time. The Gregorian calendar measures and objectifies time (Fry, 2002). The Gregorian calendar includes a fixed point to begin the numbering of years and elements of this measure of time also include that time is not based on societal notions or religious or other rulers. This calendar was used to measure time, helped everyone to understand time, and was sanctioned by the church throughout the Middle Ages. However as secularization increased the sacred significance of this calendar decreased. Days, months, and years were no longer time frames related a temporal days of saints. By the sixth century the Christian calendar was used and this began with the birth of Christ instead of the first point being the installation of a current ruler (Fry, 2002).
While time is measured by calendars and chronological age in the twenty-first century, this was not always the case in all societies. Humans lacked temporal measurement precision as is provided by the calendar for many years before the calendar was invented and even then this invention was only used in large societies. Smaller societies remained dependent on a domestic framework where people had knowledge about each other which served to measure time (Fry, 2002).
Humans have a need to measure time. Human beings need to anticipate and foresee what is coming in time to be able to plan and organize their actions for the future time. The human being has a need to understand that there is a time span that take...