logical time

logical time is a generalization of physical, clock time to fit alternative structures of causality. the assumption being that ‘what caused what to happen’ is a more important fact than ‘what happened first in physical clock time.’ i use it because it makes it easier to work with predictions about the future- usually predictions about what other people will do, so that i can adjust my actions accordingly. if i know how you will behave- if i can use logic to accurately deduce the behavior you will display in specific circumstances, and you do not do the same for me- then i am in some sense causally ahead of you. your future actions have affected my actions here in the present, even though our physical clock times are the same.

originally from distributed computing.

elaboration here, though used in a context i don’t usually find myself talking about.