The Problem of Time

Is time a problem? Is this topic relevant enough to warrant academic research? These questions are not uncommon, but they are based on common sense, which naively believes it understands the topic in its entirety. In fact, the question of time seems to be extremely simple and familiar to everyone, although this is far from the truth. Augustine recognizes this when he states in his Confessions: "What subject is more familiar and more common in our conversations than time? When we speak of it, we understand what we say. We also understand what others say when they talk to us about it." However, he also recognizes that this ease is only apparent and states: "If no one asks me, I know; but if I want to explain it to someone who asks me, I no longer know."