The Mechanics of Time as an Emergent Processing Artifact : A Systems-Level Synthesis Inspired by Richard Feynman

The Mechanics of Time as an Emergent Processing ArtifactA Systems-Level Synthesis Inspired by Richard Feynman Description:This paper advances a systems-level interpretation of time in which temporal flow is treated not as a fundamental dimension, but as an emergent processing artifact arising from deviation within closed, coherent systems. Inspired by Richard Feynman’s pragmatic treatment of time as a parameter rather than a mechanism, the work integrates insights from thermodynamics, cognitive science, and information geometry through the Virtual Ego Framework (VEF) and Coherence-Geometrodynamics (CGD). The core claim is that time operationally measures lag, inefficiency, or misalignment relative to a coherence equilibrium, rather than representing an independent ontological flow. Within this model, clocks register accumulated deviation, subjective time perception reflects processing efficiency, and the experiential “present” emerges as the stabilization point between predictive (future-directed) and retentive (past-directed) informational constraints. The paper unifies the thermodynamic, cosmological, and psychological arrows of time into a single structural account grounded in entropy production and system efficiency. It provides a conservative interpretive layer compatible with existing physical theories, explicitly avoids proposing new particles or forces, and includes a dedicated Methods and Falsifiability Appendix outlining assumptions, empirical anchors, and conditions under which the framework could be rejected. This work is intended as a conceptual and integrative contribution for researchers in physics, philosophy of time, systems theory, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence, offering a coherent explanation for why time “flies” during high-coherence states such as flow, play, or deep engagement. Authors:Allan Christopher Beckingham, CD Frameworks:Virtual Ego Framework (VEF); Coherence-Geometrodynamics (CGD) Document Type:Conceptual synthesis / interpretive systems paper License:Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)