Time as the Experience of Information: An Epistemic Reformulation of Temporal Dynamics

We propose a reformulation of temporal dynamics based on the principle that time is the experience of information. Conventional treatments of time assume an external, uniform parameter governing system evolution. In contrast, we define epistemic time as a function of an observer’s informational change, constrained by their capacity to resolve distinctions in the system's state. We develop a formal framework in which the temporal metric is derived from the derivative of accessible information over time, embedded within an epistemic manifold. This model generalizes the thermodynamic arrow of time and accommodates informational stasis, acceleration, or reversal as intrinsic features of an agent’s interaction with their environment. We apply the framework to thought experiments involving relativistic observers, photons, and black holes, and outline implications for modeling time in imprecise probability systems and agentic AI. Our approach provides a foundational basis for epistemically grounded dynamics, with potential applications in physics, artificial intelligence, and decision theory.