Welcome to Gaia! ::

So reading Flatland screwed up my brain.

More specifically, it screwed up my understanding of time as a fourth dimension.

What confuses me is this: The things we classify as the first three dimensions are basically the same quality with a different direction orientation, and by which all other directions can be formed. To be fixed in less than three dimensions, though, such as was the case of the people of flatland and of lineland, would require that they be limited with respect to the third dimension, and yet be constantly moving and aware of their movement, though unable to control it, with respect to time.

I suppose my question, then, though it may simply be a matter of my poor understanding of dimensions, is how time can be considered a fourth dimension, when the effect of it would be clear and every-changing regardless of placement in the first three dimensions.

I hope that somewhat made sense. And please disregard that I am disregarding the politcal aspects of Flatland.

Yup. (I know it probably isn't clear. I was having a very hard time phrasing it.)

I guess what I was trying to ask is this:

Because we are always moving with respect to time, regardless of whether or notwe are moving with respect to any of the three physical dimensions, and are even moving forward in time if we exist, so to speak, in 0 dimensions, can we really consider time a 4th dimension?

I hope that makes sense. But, this question is seeming less and less relevant as I think about it. So, possible never-mind.

Perhaps rather than considering time the 4th dimension and always the 4th dimension, think of it as a dimension which must coexist with living bodies, and so for the Flatlanders is their un-thought-of 3rd dimension, and for 1-point creatures it would be the 2nd dimension.