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The Growing Block’s past problems

Forbes, Graeme A (2015) The Growing Block’s past problems. Philosophical Studies, 173 (3). pp. 699-709. ISSN 0031-8116. E-ISSN 1573-0883. (doi:10.1007/s11098-015-0514-1) (KAR id:53801)

Abstract

The Growing-Block view of time has some problems with the past. It is committed to the existence of the past, but needs to say something about the difference between the past and present. I argue that we should resist Correia and Rosenkranz’ (Oxford studies in metaphysics, vol 8, pp 333–350, 2013) response to Braddon-Mitchell’s (Analysis 64:199–203, 2004) argument that the Growing-Block leads to scepticism about whether we are present. I consider an approach, similar to Peter Forrest (Analysis 64:358–362, 2004), and show it is not so counter-intuitive as Braddon-Mitchell suggests and further show that it requires no ‘semantic and metaphysical gymnastics’, as Chris Heathwood (Analysis 65:249–251, 2005) has suggested. In doing these things I make the problem of the past on the Growing-Block view a problem in its history, not its present.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1007/s11098-015-0514-1
Uncontrolled keywords: Growing Block, Temporal ontology, Zombies, The past
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BD Speculative Philosophy
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Arts and Humanities > School of Culture and Languages
Depositing User: Graeme Forbes
Date Deposited: 20 Jan 2016 15:17 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Dec 2022 22:33 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/53801 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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