more from Craig Bourne

Single Idea 14011

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 1. Nature of Time / h. Presentism]

Full Idea

It seems that presentism cannot accommodate causation at all. In a true instance of 'c causes e', it seems to follow that both c and e exist, and it is widely accepted that c is earlier than e. But for presentists that means c and e can't coexist.

Gist of Idea

Presentism seems to deny causation, because the cause and the effect can never coexist

Source

Craig Bourne (A Future for Presentism [2006], 4)

Book Reference

Bourne,Craig: 'A Future for Presentism' [OUP 2006], p.109


A Reaction

A nice problem. Obviously if the flying ball smashed the window, we are left with only the effect existing - otherwise we could intercept the ball and prevent the disaster. To say this cause and this effect coexist would be even dafter than the problem.

Related Idea

Idea 1902 Since Socrates either died when he was alive (a contradiction) or died when he was dead (meaningless), he didn't die [Sext.Empiricus]