more from Bertrand Russell

Single Idea 21581

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / a. Experience of time]

Full Idea

There is no reason in experience to suppose that there are times as opposed to events: the events, ordered by the relations of simultaneity and succession, are all that experience provides.

Gist of Idea

We never experience times, but only succession of events

Source

Bertrand Russell (Our Knowledge of the External World [1914], 4)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Our Knowledge of the External World' [Routledge 1993], p.122


A Reaction

We experience events, but also have quite an accurate sense of how much time has passed during the occurrence of events. If asked how much time has lapsed, why don't we say '32 events'? How do we distinguish long events from short ones?