eonen

Eonen is a term used in speculative discussions of time to denote the smallest indivisible unit within a discretized time scale. In these models, time is imagined as a sequence of eonen from which longer durations are constructed. Eonen are intentionally abstract and are not tied to any specific physical clock or measurement unless a theory explicitly defines such a relation.

The term is encountered primarily in speculative essays and science fiction worldbuilding. It is loosely derived from the word eon, and writers sometimes introduce dimensions such as microeonen, macroeonen, or mesoeonen to indicate nested scales of time. Usage varies by author, with some treating eonen as a fixed literal duration and others as a relational or observer-dependent primitive.

In a discretized-time framework, eonen function as the base element for temporal descriptions. Many discussions imagine processes unfolding over sequences of eonen, allowing comparisons of events across vast timespans without requiring conventional units.

Scholars and critics note that eonen, like chronons in physics, remain hypothetical constructs. They are often used as narrative or conceptual tools to explore questions of tempo, history, and change at extreme scales, rather than as established scientific quantities.

See also: eon; chronon; time discretization; science fiction worldbuilding.