Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Letters to Edward Stillingfleet', 'Interview with Baggini and Stangroom' and 'On Interpretation'

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2 ideas

27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 1. Nature of Time / g. Growing block
Things may be necessary once they occur, but not be unconditionally necessary [Aristotle]
     Full Idea: To say that everything that is, is of necessity, when it is, is not the same as saying unconditionally that it is of necessity.
     From: Aristotle (On Interpretation [c.330 BCE], 19a25)
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / d. Time series
A-theory says past, present, future and flow exist; B-theory says this just reports our perspective [Le Poidevin]
     Full Idea: The A-theory regards our intuitive distinction of time into past, present and future as objective, and takes seriously the idea that time flows; the B-theory says this just reflects our perspective, like the spatial distinction between here and there.
     From: Robin Le Poidevin (Interview with Baggini and Stangroom [2001], p.174)
     A reaction: The distinction comes from McTaggart. Physics seems to be built on an objective view of time, and yet Einstein makes time relative. What possible evidence could decide between the two theories?