Single Idea 14399

[catalogued under 3. Truth / B. Truthmakers / 9. Making Past Truths]

Full Idea

Presentism says that although there is nothing outside the present, yet there are past-tensed and future-tensed truths that do not supervene on the present, and hence do not supervene on being.

Gist of Idea

Presentism says only the present exists, so there is nothing for tensed truths to supervene on

Source

David Lewis (Armstrong on combinatorial possibility [1992], p.207)

Book Reference

Lewis,David: 'Papers in Metaphysics and Epistemology' [CUP 1999], p.207


A Reaction

Since I rather like both presentism and truth supervening on being, this observation comes as rather a devastating blow. I thought philosophy would be quite easy, but it's turning out to be rather tricky. Could tensed truths supervene on the present?

Related Idea

Idea 14405 How can a presentist explain an object's having existed? [Merricks]