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Single Idea 21390

[from 'fragments/reports' by Carneades, in 3. Truth / B. Truthmakers / 10. Making Future Truths ]

Full Idea

We call those past events true of which at an earlier time this proposition was true: 'They are present now'; similarly, we shall call those future events true of which at some future time this proposition will be true: 'They are present now'.

Gist of Idea

Future events are true if one day we will say 'this event is happening now'

Source

Carneades (fragments/reports [c.174 BCE]), quoted by M. Tullius Cicero - On Fate ('De fato') 9.23-8

Book Reference

Long,A.A.: 'Hellenistic Philosophy' [Duckworth 1986], p.102


A Reaction

This is a very nice way of paraphrasing statements about the necessity of true future contingent events. It still relies, of course, on the veracity of a tensed assertion

Related Idea

Idea 21389 Carneades distinguished logical from causal necessity, when talking of future events [Long on Carneades]