Final answer:
True. Time is not universally defined due to relativity's impact on the perception and measurement of time intervals; simultaneity also varies based on observer's relative motion and gravity. Cultural understandings of time can widely differ, and true knowledge of time is distinct from simply having a correct belief by chance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that time is not universally defined is true. The concept of time has been a subject of philosophical discussion as well as a major feature in physics, especially after the advent of Einstein's theory of relativity. According to general relativity, time can be affected by factors such as velocity and gravity, leading to phenomena like time dilation where the time interval experienced between events can differ for observers in relative motion or in different gravitational fields. Moreover, cultural perceptions of time can hugely differ, with some societies treating time as a commodity—much like money—while others may not hold such a view.
The well-known thought experiment involving a broken clock that displays the correct time purely by coincidence—described by Bertrand Russell—illustrates the difference between having a true belief and genuine knowledge. In this scenario, a man looks at the stopped clock and believes the time is correct, but this belief is accurate due to luck rather than the clock functioning properly. Hence, while his belief about the correct time is true, he does not have knowledge of the time.
Regarding simultaneity, general relativity asserts that 'Simultaneity is not absolute', meaning that events that appear to occur at the same time from one perspective may not be simultaneous from another perspective, depending on the relative motion of observers or the influence of gravity. This again disrupts the notion of a universally consistent time.