[talanum1 (OP)]

Sir Roger Penrose says since mc^2 = hf clocks require mass, and his operation of squashing infinity requires it. Therefore his Conformal Cyclic Cosmology depends on it. Yet the very same mathematics says E = hf, so just energy also implies clocks. This undermines his theory.

[Zer0]

Hi there @talanum1
🙋

Conformal Cyclic Cosmology is a Very Interesting cosmological model idea.
👍

Although, I'm Not an Expert, just a Layman hence i would Not be able to contribute much towards your OP.
👎

Hopefully, the Subject Matter Experts might spread a lil illuminance on it in the very near future.
🙏

P.S. - Sorry bout the Xtreme delay in response.

[jeffreyH]

Sir Roger Penrose says since mc^2 = hf clocks require mass, and his operation of squashing infinity requires it. Therefore his Conformal Cyclic Cosmology depends on it. Yet the very same mathematics says E = hf, so just energy also implies clocks. This undermines his theory.

There is a mass/energy equivalence. Also there are various types of energy. Rest energy, kinetic energy, potential energy etc etc. His theory involves the concept of the end of one universe initiating the next big bang. If the universe experiences heat death and all the black hole evaporate you have a situation where time has no meaning. Much like before the big bang. In this theory there is also no big crunch.

When you have heat death there is no more useful energy available to do work. So it is not possible to construct a clock. it doesn't matter which energy equation you cite.

[yor_on]

You can take a look at this.   https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/12/28/einstein-believed-in-a-theory-of-spacetime-that-can-help-people-cope-with-loss/

And a more modern formulation  https://phys.org/news/2011-04-scientists-spacetime-dimension.html

It depends on how you look at it. Clocks as needed for 'time' to exist, or not.

But   https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2020/10/08/no-roger-penrose-we-see-no-evidence-of-a-universe-before-the-big-bang/