Final answer:
Reuben's statement is plausible within the context of time dilation, a concept from General Relativity where time moves slower for an astronaut near a black hole compared to Earth, causing a discrepancy between the astronaut's and Earth's time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reuben's statement about his age can be explained by a concept from physics known as time dilation, specifically a famous thought experiment called the Twin Paradox. Time dilation is a consequence of General Relativity, which predicts that time moves more slowly in strong gravitational fields or at high velocities relative to an observer. In our scenario, Reuben could be an astronaut who has experienced time dilation by traveling near a black hole or at high speeds relative to Earth.
As an example, if Reuben had been on a space mission near a black hole, time would have passed more slowly for him compared to people on Earth. If he celebrated his 20th birthday shortly before encountering the black hole, two days for him might have been a much longer period on Earth. As a result, when he returns late next year and expects to be 23, more time could have passed on Earth, allowing for his statement to make sense within the framework of time dilation