What is TIME

Time exists because clocks exist.

A clock can be defined as: when there exists two (or more) mechanisms (or systems) that produce specific identifiable results in such a way, where one mechanism always produce exact specific number of results when the other mechanism produce one result.

Spin, it's an integral part of the concept of time. When something spins recurrence of a state takes place.most mechanical clocks are made from this principal.

But you easily forget that without memory there is no way to identify spin or any other repetitive event. We need to memorize the original position, then there should be a system to compare the present, repeated system with the original. Then there should be a counter to identify how many times the event is repeated. Then there should be a logical system to assume if there is no outside interference that repetition will carry on indefinitely or reasonable enough duration so that we can say it is a continued occurrence. This shows the high degree of logic necessary to identify a repeated event.

It is the same for electromagnetic oscillator, or even the cesium clock. Similarly it is the same for a pulsar, star that rotate and produce an exact frequency. Without an observer how do you know it has the same frequency? The argument is the same for earth rotating on itself or travels around the sun and moon rotating around earth.

Without logic and thinking of man no clock can be made.

These mechanisms can be natural or man made.

Since there exists natural such mechanisms we assume that TIME is a natural phenomena.

There are almost infinite (or near to infinite) number of natural phenomena. Out of the universe set of phenomena we identify a specific subset, and define time.

Therefore TIME is a phenomena created by man.

Man is capable of even creating systems that have phenomena which is slightly different but analogous to TIME, and have some characteristics of TIME. One such is the blockchain in cryptocurrency. When transactions are accepted and included in a blockchain there is no way to change it. It is fixed, like we cannot change what happen in the past. Like chronology or the epoch of time, blockchain fix the history of transactions.

Change is a universal fact. But not flow of change. The flow is a man made concept to keep track of change.

Time has two properties. Sometimes we confuse and use these two interchangeably. One is the recurring event the other is the flow of time. These two are independent. Clock, has two parts one a repeater and then a counter. So to be a clock we needs to take flow also into account.

The two properties of time, can be shown by different phenomena. Time needs an event that repeats. The pendulum swings. The quarts crystal makes electromagnetic circuit flow electrons alternatively.

Then flow of time do not need a repetitive event. It has past, present and future. It is a record keeping process.

Peculiarly this flow always needs an observer. Without observer no flow. The flow may record evidence of events without human observer. Good example is  fossil records. past history is recorded in it.