Sources for Time

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy contains excellent introductions to problems pertaining to time as well as good sources for further reading: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time/

Lewis Time Travel Citation

Hi All,

Here is the citation information for David Lewis's paper on time travel:

Lewis, David. 1976. "The Paradoxes of Time Travel."
American Philosophical Quarterly 13: 145-52. Reprinted in
Lewis, David. 1986. _Philosophical Papers vol II_. Oxford:
Oxford University Press. Pages 67-80.

Ask Philosophers

There is a new link in the sidebar. It's called 'Ask Philosophers Some Stuff'. You can click it and ask a panel of professional philosophers any question you'd like.

Temporal Vacua and Absolute Zero

frankd23 said...
This is a question that I hope some people will answer...I can't figure out how to make my own post because I'm terrible with computers so i figured Id just make a comment on this question. A temporal vacuum is just an area where everything stops changing, and essentially stops moving. I argue in my paper that temporal vacua are just areas where at absolute zero. I feel that the argument is sound unless there is some way for an area to stop moving completely without it being at absolute zero. I have a possible explanation but i still think absolute zero wins in the end. Id' like to hear some of your ideas

8:24 PM

A Question

Which of the following combinations of views are consistent*:

1. Objectivism about metric and relationism about time
2. Objectivism about metric and absolutism about time
3. Conventionalism about metric and relationism about time
4. Conventionalism about metric and absolutism about time

I am particularly interested in what you guys think about (4).

*Note: A combination of views is consistent if, and only if, supposing that both views are true does not commit you to a contradiction. An obvious example of an inconsistent combination of views would be if one held that atheism and theism are both correct. A combination of views might be consistent but very unattractive. It is consistent, but very unattractive, to hold that invisible sparkling monkeys cause lights to go on and off, for instance.

Writing Assignment 2

Writing Assignment 2:

First: Present an argument from Le Poidevin for the conclusion that conventionalism about the metric of time is true or present an argument from Le Poidevin for the conclusion that objectivism about the metric of time is true. Try to make your argument valid. You do not need to state the form or forms by which the argument is valid.

Next: Briefly explain the premises. That is, state in a sentence or three why one might take the premise to be true.

Next: State which premise you think is false and why. Be brief.

Finally: Cite your source.

Note 1: This assignment should not take more than one page.

Note 2: There is no need to write the argument out in paragraph form. The format of your assignment should be as follows :

An Argument for the Conclusion that Blah

Premise 1:

Premise 2:

. . .

Conclusion: Therefore, conventionalism/objectivism about the metric of time is true.

Explanation of premise 1:

Explanation of premise 2:

. . .

I think Premise n is false because (etc.)

Citation


Please raise any questions you may have about the assignment by commenting on this post.

The Beginning of Time

Admin note: I am moving this comment to the main section of the blog so it is easier to access.

Hawaii said...
Well since I'm supposed to make more posts...I'll see about another question.

Did time have a beginning or does it extend infinitely in either direction? I guess my stance is formed around the big bang. I believe this is generally accepted as the beginning of our universe. I will assume that this is the case. Now before the big bang...can we tell what the universe was like at all? The answer is no. Since we can't tell what the universe was like before the big bang, then it doesn't matter what happened before the big bang. To me, this means that time restarted at the big bang. Nothing that happened before affects us now so it may as well have never happened at all.

The answer is that time did have a beginning with the big bang. Is it possible to have multiple beginnings? Perhaps time is more like a set of rays as opposed to a single line.