22.04.2025

Veröffentlichung: “How Time Passes” (Oxford University Press) von Prof. Thomas Sattig

Time organizes things in a dynamic fashion, whereas space organizes things in a static fashion—things in time undergo passage, whereas things in space do not. What makes the temporal organization of things dynamic? What is the nature of the passage of time? Traditional discussions of passage have taken one of two perspectives. Some philosophers start with passage as a phenomenon that occurs in the physical world. They ask what constitutes this objective phenomenon. Theirs is a project in metaphysics and the foundations of physics. Others start with passage as a phenomenon that is given in our experiences of the world. They ask what constitutes this subjective phenomenon. Theirs is a project in philosophy of mind and cognitive science. In this book, Thomas Sattig gives both perspectives on passage equal weight. The first part of the book concerns the existence and nature of physical passage. The second part concerns the existence and nature of experiential passage. In both parts, the standard kind of explanation of passage is juxtaposed with a new kind of explanation. On the tripartite approach, which has dominated classical and contemporary philosophy of time, the denizens of time undergo passage, in virtue of changing with respect to what is past, what is present, and what is future. On the geometrical approach, the denizens of time undergo passage, in virtue of being temporally organized in a manner that does not involve the holding of any geometrical relations between them. In How Time Passes, Sattig develops and defends two claims. One concerns the distinction between physical passage and experiential passage. The other concerns the distinction between tripartite passage and geometrical passage. First, passage is not a phenomenon in the mind-independent world. Passage is an experiential illusion. Second, experiential passage is not tripartite passage. Experiential passage is geometrical passage.

This book project was supported by an Opus Magnum grant from the Volkswagen Foundation.

Link to the book's site at OUP:
https://academic.oup.com/book/59811