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That is what we will try to discover. What is at stake is enormous, because what is hidden behind this anodyne question, considered by many to be unproductive, is quite simply the truth. Our society is based on our perception of the truth, be it scientific, moral or religious. All scientific debates, whether they are public or limited to select cir- cles, implicitly reduce scientific facts to the rational truth. This truth is based on a particular form of reasoning: it is the measuring instrument that ensures recognition. Let us take a brief look at time to illustrate the trap we must avoid. How do we usually envision time? There are two types of time: meas- urable time and psychological time. Measurable time is objective! It is a universal convention! In other words, it is a fixed interval between two phenomena: before/after. Sci- ence uses seconds that have multiples and subdivisions. This time is recognized by our intellect! It is quite useful in the organization of numerous things and equations. These are called the hard sciences. There is a distinction between duration-time and date-time. Every- one knows that duration is the difference between two dates. In the same way, one can pinpoint the date by using constant durations. Hence the existence of time mechanisms such as watches and clocks. The modern version of these two types of time consists of the time unit and the time scale. Thus, the duration-time called second has become the standard, whereas the clock counts the conventional time units to define the time scale. A modern time scale must check four qualities™: 1. Durability: a time scale must be able to continue to date all future events. Accessibility — universality: a time scale must be accessible to all potential users. Stability: the duration of the unit of a time scale must be constant over time. Through these definitions we immediately observe the source of the tautology. Imposing the universality of the time scale reduces our abil- ity to understand phenomena that are exceptionally sensitive to tempo- ral fluctuations. In the same way, stability gives time the reproducible nature of its flow. Therefore, a choice has been made in favor of these attributes that deprive time of its intrinsic qualities. This shows us that time scales and units are purely conventional. Based on these arbitrary conventions human intelligence intends to solve the mysteries of the universe. 78 The Science of Extraterrestrials: UFOs Explained at Last * Eric Julien 4. Precision: the duration of the unit of a time scale must be equal to the definition of the unit.