The new a-theory of time
The New A-theory of Time (TNAT) is the view, to be elaborated and defended in this article, that many times exist, and that time is real in virtue of every moment in time bearing each of the so-called A-properties: past, present and future. I argue that TNAT is at least as theoretically virtuous as...
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor and Francis
2015
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44438/ |
| _version_ | 1848796918140895232 |
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| author | Tallant, Jonathan |
| author_facet | Tallant, Jonathan |
| author_sort | Tallant, Jonathan |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The New A-theory of Time (TNAT) is the view, to be elaborated and defended in this article, that many times exist, and that time is real in virtue of every moment in time bearing each of the so-called A-properties: past, present and future. I argue that TNAT is at least as theoretically virtuous as mainstream views in the philosophy of time and may have some claim to being our best theory of time. I show that the properties ‘past’, ‘present’ and ‘future’ can be understood as compatible intrinsic properties. Having demonstrated that this account of the A-properties is coherent, I go on to demonstrate how TNAT can give us an account of passage, change and the truth-conditions for temporal sentences. In the final section of the article, I develop a tentative argument in favour of TNAT, though concede that we have to settle for the result that TNAT is on a par with our other theories of time. In the remainder of this opening section, my aim is to situate the current proposal as a direct response to McTaggart’s infamous argument against the reality of time. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:55:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-44438 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:55:37Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-444382020-05-04T17:14:47Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44438/ The new a-theory of time Tallant, Jonathan The New A-theory of Time (TNAT) is the view, to be elaborated and defended in this article, that many times exist, and that time is real in virtue of every moment in time bearing each of the so-called A-properties: past, present and future. I argue that TNAT is at least as theoretically virtuous as mainstream views in the philosophy of time and may have some claim to being our best theory of time. I show that the properties ‘past’, ‘present’ and ‘future’ can be understood as compatible intrinsic properties. Having demonstrated that this account of the A-properties is coherent, I go on to demonstrate how TNAT can give us an account of passage, change and the truth-conditions for temporal sentences. In the final section of the article, I develop a tentative argument in favour of TNAT, though concede that we have to settle for the result that TNAT is on a par with our other theories of time. In the remainder of this opening section, my aim is to situate the current proposal as a direct response to McTaggart’s infamous argument against the reality of time. Taylor and Francis 2015-08-21 Article PeerReviewed Tallant, Jonathan (2015) The new a-theory of time. Inquiry, 58 (6). pp. 537-562. ISSN 1502-3923 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0020174X.2015.1069067 doi:10.1080/0020174X.2015.1069067 doi:10.1080/0020174X.2015.1069067 |
| spellingShingle | Tallant, Jonathan The new a-theory of time |
| title | The new a-theory of time |
| title_full | The new a-theory of time |
| title_fullStr | The new a-theory of time |
| title_full_unstemmed | The new a-theory of time |
| title_short | The new a-theory of time |
| title_sort | new a-theory of time |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44438/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44438/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/44438/ |