We could even imagine two lines of pebbles, both infinite but in only one direction, and going in exactly opposite directions from each other. They would also be separated by just the space necessary for one pebble. All the counter has to do is to shift one pebble from the supply line to the counter line. Easy do.
Or better still, there is just one infinite line of pebbles, each one marked "0" on one side and "1" on the other. All the pebbles in one direction show a "1" (the past). All the pebbles in the other direction (the future) show a "0". Every second, the one pebble among those showing "0" which is also next to one showing "1" is flipped over to show "1" too. And so on.
Well, I guess that's all there is to say then.
It works. Thanks!
EB
Okay, no further candidate to comment on that.
Too difficult to get your head around?
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Let's make it real easy for you.
So, now, we assume that all there is in this thought-experiment universe is just this one infinite line of pebbles, going on and on in both directions, resting on a flat ground. Nothing else. Not even things like gravity except between each pebble and the ground. Just 3D-space, time, the flat ground and those pebbles.
Each pebble is as before marked "0" on one side and "1" on the other. All the pebbles in one direction show a "1" (the past). All the pebbles in the other direction (the future) show a "0". Every second, the one pebble among those showing "0" which is also next to one showing "1" flips over, on it's own, to show "1" too.
Think of a chain-like reaction, for example. The one pebble to flip causes its neighbour to flip too after a short pause. And so on.
That line of pebbles is a clock. It ticks away each second, without a miss. Assume also it's absolutely accurate. The part of the line with all pebbles marked one corresponds to the past, i.e. to total elapsed time.
How could we represent this line of pebble to make it a meaningful clock to us?
EB