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Eternity (or forever) is a concept of endless time. It is often referenced in the context of religion, in the concept of eternal life, whereby death is conquered, and people may live for an unlimited amount of time (cf. Heaven). "Eternity" is a term often used to describe God's existence as being of an extremely long time, and continuing without foreseeable end.
Many have used the term "eternity" to refer to a timeless existence altogether outside time.[who?][clarification needed] By contrast, infinite temporal existence is then called sempiternity. Something eternal exists outside time; by contrast, something sempiternal exists throughout an infinite time. Sempiternity is also known as everlastingness.[1]
There are a number of arguments for eternity, by which proponents of the concept, principally Aristotle, purported to prove that matter, motion, and time must have existed eternally.
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The idea of eternity [link]
The metaphysics of eternity might be summarized by the question: can anything be said to exist "outside of" or independent of Time/Space, and if so how and why? Some consequential metaphysical questions of some importance are then: can "information" be said to exist without, or independent of, the human mind, and, if so, what would be the content and "purpose" of such information?
God and eternity [link]
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Theists say that God is eternally existent. How this is understood depends on which definition of eternity is used. On one hand, God may exist in eternity, a timeless existence where categories of past, present, and future just do not apply. On the other hand, God will exist for or through eternity, or at all times, having already existed for an infinite amount of time and continuing to exist for an infinite amount of time. One other definition states that God exists outside the human concept of time, but also inside of time. The reasoning for this definition is that if God did not exist both outside time and inside time, God would not be able to interact with humans.
Whichever definition of eternity was understood, it is an understatement to say that humans cannot fully understand eternity, since it is either an infinite amount of time as we know it or something other than the time and space we know. For the infinite definition, there are parallels that give some notion of an infinity—of at least a potential infinity, or a series that begins and has not ended. A series of moments that has begun and not ended is, however, not potentially eternal by that definition. A series of moments that has begun and not ended cannot be eternal, because even if it were to continue for the rest of (infinite) time, there would still be time prior to the initial moment in the series. The series of moments could not ever exist for all eternity because no matter what happened during the series of moments, nothing would ever cause the series of moments to have existed since the beginning of "eternity", and thus could never achieve the status of eternal or even potentially eternal.
Augustine of Hippo wrote that time exists only within the created universe, so that God exists outside time; for God there is no past or future, but only an eternal present; this, of course, would require God to exist only outside the present universe. One need not believe in God in order to hold this concept of eternity: for example[original research?], an atheist mathematician can maintain the philosophical tenet that numbers and the relationships among them exist outside time, and so are in that sense eternal.
Related to the notion of eternal existence is the concept of God as Creator, as a being completely independent of "everything else" that exists because God created everything else (as against panentheism). If this premise is true, then it follows that God is independent of both space and time, since these are properties of the universe. So according to this notion, God exists before time began, exists during all moments in time, and will continue to exist if somehow the universe and time itself were to cease to exist, which may present a problem as to how He could then influence events within the universe.
Related to 'eternal life', the biblical revelation first indicated that Man as a special created being is able to grasp the abstract concept in contrast with the lower animal world which did not have the ability to understand the concept of "eternity".[citation needed] See book of Ecclesiastes 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men .." (from Bible translation in the N.I.V.). Contrast this with the timeless existence definition, which would imply animals are blessed with eternal life from birth (because of their inability to grasp the concept of eternity or even time), which is something mankind gave up when he was cast out of the "Garden of Eden." It is commonly believed among theists that although mankind can grasp the abstract concept of "eternity", one may only obtain "eternal life" once returned to God.
The idea of God being outside of time is a result of much thought amongst theists on the “Who created God” or “What was there before God?” questions. The main scriptural clue is found in 2Pe:3:8: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
Symbolism [link]
Eternity is often symbolized by the image of a snake swallowing its own tail, known as Ouroboros (or Uroboros), though the symbol can also carry a number of other connotations.
The circle is also commonly used as a symbol for eternity. The related concept, infinity, is symbolized by Failed to parse (Missing texvc executable; please see math/README to configure.): \infty , which may be based on the Ouroboros.
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The Ouroboros.
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The "endless knot," a symbol of eternity used in Tibetan Buddhism.
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An ancient Armenian symbol of eternity.
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An annulus, a Celtic symbol of eternity.[citation needed]
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Infinity symbol variations.
See also [link]
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eternity |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Eternity |
- Aeon
- Arguments for eternity
- Eternalism
- Eternal return
- Perennial philosophy
- Presentism
- Temporal finitism
- Time
- Yin and yang
References [link]
External links [link]
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Look up eternity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/eternity/ Entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Eternity.
- https://www.iep.utm.edu/g/god-time.htm Entry in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy on the relationship between God and Time.
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Last of the Time Lords
"Last of the Time Lords" is the thirteenth and final episode of the third series of the revived British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 30 June 2007. It is the last of three episodes that form a linked narrative, following "Utopia" and "The Sound of Drums".
One year after the events of "The Sound of Drums", the Master has conquered the Earth and enslaved its population. He holds the aged Doctor prisoner, and prepares warships for a new Time Lord Empire. Now it is up to Martha Jones to carry out the Doctor's plan and save the universe.
This episode shows the departure of Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones and John Barrowman as Jack Harkness until Series Four.
Plot
A year after the appearance of the Toclafane on Earth, humanity is on the verge of extinction. After her escape from the Valiant, Martha has been travelling around the world and avoiding the Master's detection through the use of her perception filter. She has been contacting groups of people to find a special gun created by Torchwood and UNIT that can kill the Master. Martha meets Thomas Milligan, a former doctor who leads her to Professor Docherty. Together they manage to capture a Toclafane. Upon examination they discover the Toclafane are the humans from the far future who took the rocket to Utopia. They were driven insane after discovering that Utopia was a lie. The Master created the Paradox Machine to allow them to return to the past and kill their ancestors while avoiding the grandfather paradox. Martha and Thomas leave to find the last component of the gun, and Docherty provides the Master with Martha's location in exchange for information on her own son.
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. He originally found commercial success as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple.
Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan started and fronted several local bands in the mid-sixties, and eventually joined Episode Six when their original singer left. He first found widespread commercial success after joining Deep Purple in 1969. After an almost non-stop workload, during which time he recorded six albums in four years, and problematic relationships with other band members, particularly guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Gillan resigned from the band in June 1973, having given a lengthy notice period to their managers.
After a short time away from the music business, he resumed his music career with solo bands the Ian Gillan Band and Gillan, before a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath. He rejoined a reformed Deep Purple in 1984, but was fired in 1989. He rejoined the band for a second time in 1992 for their twenty-fifth anniversary, and following the recruitment of guitarist Steve Morse in 1994, has helped transform the group into a regular touring outfit, which he has fronted ever since.
Eternity (2010 Thai film)
Eternity (Thai: ชั่วฟ้าดินสลาย) is a 2010 Thai Romantic drama film by Pantewanop Tewakol. It is based on Malai Choopiniji's novel, which was earlier adapted to film in 1957 by Rattana Pestonji. The film stars Ananda Everingham and Laila Boonyasak as the doomed lovers Sangmong, and his uncle's wife, Yupadee, respectively. The film won five awards, including Best Actor and Best Picture, and gained seven nominations in the Thailand Film Awards.
Plot
The story begins with a young man visiting a village in Burma. One night, a beautiful woman comes into his bedroom and attempts to seduce him. She suddenly leaves, frightened by the sounds of screams coming from outside. The next day, the young man asks Thip, Ni Han's right-hand man, about the screams. Thip then tells him the story of Yupadee and Sangmong, Ni Han's former wife and nephew.
Sangmong's parents died when he was very young. He was raised by Ni Han, who loved him as a son. Sangmong received a good education and returned home when he graduated. He was a conservative man with traditional values, and his days consisted of reading books and working for his uncle. With very little social life, he seemingly has little interest in women, the opposite of Ni Han who is a womaniser.
Eternity (novel)
Eternity (1988) is a science fiction novel by Greg Bear. It is the second book in his The Way series, dealing largely with the aftermath of the decision to split Axis City and abandon the Way in the preceding book, Eon.
Plot summary
In Eon, Axis City split into two: one segment of Naderites and some Geshels took their portion of the city out of the Way and through Thistledown into orbit around the Earth; they spend the next thirty years aiding the surviving population of Earth heal and rebuild from the devastating effects of the Death. This effort strains their resources and the government of the Hexamon. As time passes, sentiment grows to have Korzenowski reopen the Way. Firstly, to learn what has happened to the Geshels' long-sundered brethren (who took their portion of Axis City down the Way at relativistic near-light speed). And, secondly, to benefit from the commercial advantages of the Way (despite a very real risk that the Jarts will be waiting on the other side).
In a parallel Earth, known as Gaia, the mathematician Patricia Vasquez (who was the primary protagonist of Eon), dies of old age; she never found her own Earth where the Death did not happen and her loved ones were still alive, but remained on the one she discovered (in which Alexander the Great did not die young and his empire did not fragment after his death). She passes her otherworldly artifacts of technology to her granddaughter, Rhita, who appears to have inherited her gifts. Rhita moves away from the academic institute the "Hypateion" (a reference to Hypatia) which Patricia founded and to that world's version of Alexandria. Patricia's clavicle claims that a test gate has been opened onto this world of Gaia, and that it could be expanded further.
Eternity (Freedom Call album)
Eternity is the third full-length album by the German power metal band Freedom Call. It was released on June 3, 2002, by Steamhammer.
Track list
All songs written and composed by Chris Bay and Dan Zimmermann except where noted.
