Time as a Measuring Tool, Not a Dimension: A Causal Framework for Physics

This paper challenges the traditional view of time as a fundamental physical dimension. Instead, we propose a framework in which causality, not time, underlies physical processes. Time is reinterpreted as a measuring tool — a cognitive “ruler” imposed by observers to quantify sequences of events. By analyzing macroscopic processes (plant growth) and microscopic ones (radioactive decay), we argue that causality provides a more consistent foundation for understanding physical phenomena. This perspective helps clarify paradoxes in quantum mechanics, entropy, and the arrow of time. The framework is expressed in terms of causal networks rather than time-evolution equations, offering a new route for both physics and philosophy of science.