h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I believe that the two main functions our intellect uses as far as measuring time is concerned are 'comparison' and 'judgement'.

Comparison
We are not able to give any absolute measure of anything.
Take a piece of string : is it long or short ? Can't say, until we compare it ("this piece of string is longer than that one").
Even when we give is a quantified measure ("this piece of string is 10 inches long"), we still compare with a standart measure.
Same thing happens to weight, brightness, etc., all physical perceptions that can be quantified (even pain, pleasure, ...). And apparently, same thing happens with time.
When we have a time measuring device, we compare durations and give time a measure.
If we don't have such a device, it seems that we compare the duration with what we have stored in our memory. Hence, for a 3 years old, one more year will be an extra 33% of everything they know : a very long time. When you are 30, one year is just 1/30th of your life : a much shorter period of time.


Judgement
The above mechanism is probably distorted by the second most powerful function of the intellect : judgement.
"This is taking too long" : when you wait an hour for the bus.
"This is just too short" : when you are spending the last hour of a good holiday.


This is just my personal view on the subject, but it makes a lot of sense to myself !
Comments, anyone ?

C.L.