308:, the two propositions are identical (both true or both false) if the first assertion is made on 26 September 2024. The non-temporal relation of precedence between two events, say "E precedes F", does not change over time (excluding from this discussion the issue of the relativity of temporal order of causally disconnected events in the theory of relativity). On the other hand, the character of being "past, present or future" of the events "E" or "F" does change with time. In the image of McTaggart the passage of time consists in the fact that terms ever further in the future pass into the present...or that the present advances toward terms ever farther in the future. If we assume the first point of view, we speak as if the B series slides along a fixed A series. If we assume the second point of view, we speak as if the A series slides along a fixed B series.
1500:
25:
1510:
218:. Futurity and pastness allow of degrees, while the present does not. When we speak of time in this way, we are speaking in terms of a series of positions which run from the remote past through the recent past to the present, and from the present through the near future all the way to the remote future. The essential characteristic of this descriptive modality is that one must think of the
276:
Furthermore, while events acquire their A series determinations through a relation to something outside of time, their B series determinations hold between the events that constitutes the B series. This is the B series, and the philosophy that says all truths about time can be reduced to B series statements is the
275:
An important difference between the two series is that while events continuously change their position in the A series, their position in the B series does not. If an event ever is earlier than some events and later than the rest, it is always earlier than and later than those very events.
304:. For example, the assertion "today it is raining" is a tensed assertion because it depends on the temporal perspective—the present—of the person who utters it, while the assertion "It rained on 26 September 2024" is tenseless because it does not so depend. From the point of view of their
324:. Both assume an objective present, but presentism assumes that only present objects exist, while the growing block universe assumes both present and past objects exist, but not future ones. Views that assume no objective present and are therefore versions of the B-theory include
226:, in the sense that an event is first part of the future, then part of the present, and then part of the past. Moreover, the assertions made according to this modality correspond to the temporal perspective of the person who utters them. This is the A series of temporal events.
229:
Although originally McTaggart defined tenses as relational qualities, i.e. qualities that events possess by standing in a certain relations to something outside of time (that does not change its position in time), today it is popularly believed that he treated tenses as
347:. He argues that A-theory being true and "now" being metaphysically distinguished from other moments of time implies that the "I" is also metaphysically distinguished from other first-person perspectives.
238:
as monadic because
English tenses are normally expressed by the non-relational singular predicates "is past", "is present" and "is future", as noted by R. D. Ingthorsson.
399:
It seems quite clear to me that are not qualities but relations, though of course, like other relations, they will generate relational qualities in each of their terms
198:
McTaggart distinguished the ancient conceptions as a set of relations. According to McTaggart, there are two distinct modes in which all events can be ordered in time.
190:, in a state of constant flux, as in his famous statement that it is impossible to step twice into the same river (since the river is flowing).
1734:
1546:
89:
61:
1109:
945:
520:
42:
574:
420:
68:
544:
75:
108:
1763:
1539:
435:
57:
1660:
1059:
714:
325:
317:
1768:
938:
46:
1555:
1021:
256:
can be ordered according to a different series of temporal positions by way of two-term relations that are
1773:
1532:
1312:
664:
644:
528:
182:
is timeless and unchanging. Heraclitus, in contrast, believed that the world is a process of ceaseless
1778:
1716:
1574:
1375:
1224:
1104:
654:
567:
1690:
1619:
1074:
82:
1741:
1330:
981:
361:
35:
1680:
684:
321:
234:
properties. Later philosophers have independently inferred that McTaggart must have understood
1727:
1589:
1513:
1145:
1090:
1044:
674:
372:
340:
152:
1396:
1365:
814:
709:
560:
344:
336:
8:
1665:
1584:
1270:
729:
689:
329:
265:
257:
183:
1604:
1219:
1197:
1064:
888:
859:
794:
787:
449:
253:
156:
148:
134:
448:
Conitzer, Vincent (30 Aug 2020). "The
Personalized A-Theory of Time and Perspective".
1675:
1300:
1179:
1079:
932:
835:
739:
416:
235:
138:
1650:
1645:
1418:
1406:
1234:
1202:
1034:
903:
819:
809:
724:
277:
247:
1480:
1345:
1322:
1290:
1242:
1229:
1192:
1174:
804:
799:
535:
1624:
1614:
1594:
1423:
1413:
1212:
1084:
1054:
1039:
824:
782:
777:
649:
170:
debate about temporal orderings reaches back to the ancient Greek philosophers
539:
1757:
1503:
1453:
1401:
1335:
1307:
1295:
1285:
1275:
1157:
1001:
927:
876:
829:
744:
704:
699:
694:
627:
503:
269:
1685:
1475:
1469:
1135:
1069:
991:
922:
871:
772:
719:
659:
366:
167:
1711:
1655:
1629:
1485:
1463:
1370:
1355:
1150:
1130:
1120:
1049:
1006:
986:
915:
734:
636:
356:
305:
261:
142:
122:
1380:
1280:
1187:
1162:
965:
749:
293:
175:
171:
133:
are two different descriptions of the temporal ordering relation among
296:
expression of the two series are radically different. The A series is
1721:
1524:
1443:
1360:
996:
908:
883:
864:
754:
454:
187:
311:
24:
1706:
1670:
1599:
1011:
854:
764:
622:
612:
231:
141:
to describe the temporal relation between events and the resulting
335:
Vincent
Conitzer argues that A-theory is related to Benj Hellie's
1350:
1340:
1262:
1253:
1238:
1125:
970:
893:
602:
211:
179:
1140:
1448:
607:
272:): "earlier than" (or precedes) and "later than" (or follows).
207:
1609:
1458:
1207:
898:
846:
289:
16:
Philosophical descriptions of the temporal ordering of events
1569:
597:
583:
486:
Ingthorsson, R. D., "McTaggart's
Paradox", Routledge, 2016.
215:
500:, vols. 1-2, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1968.
397:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. § 326.
186:, flux and decay. Reality for Heraclitus is dynamic and
552:
137:. The two series differ principally in their use of
316:There are two principal varieties of the A-theory,
151:introduced these terms in 1908, in an argument for
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
312:Relation to other ideas in the philosophy of time
1755:
1735:The Singular Universe and the Reality of Time
1540:
568:
155:. They are now commonly used by contemporary
521:"Notes on McTaggart, 'The Unreality of Time
489:McTaggart, J. E., 'The Unreality of Time',
410:
1547:
1533:
575:
561:
453:
392:
206:In the first mode, events are ordered as
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
510:, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1922.
447:
1756:
1554:
436:Presentism and the Space-Time Manifold
1528:
556:
193:
1509:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
545:Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
540:"McTaggart's A series and B series"
415:. New York: Routledge. p. 45.
13:
527:. Seminar on Philosophy and Time,
14:
1790:
534:
514:
1508:
1499:
1498:
395:The Nature of Existence, Vol. II
23:
283:
34:needs additional citations for
441:
429:
404:
386:
1:
466:
252:From a second point of view,
145:implications regarding time.
481:The Tenseless Theory of Time
393:McTaggart, J. M. E. (1927).
220:series of temporal positions
7:
1313:Geological history of Earth
411:Ingthorsson, R. D. (2016).
350:
339:and Caspar Hare's ideas of
241:
201:
10:
1795:
665:Orders of magnitude (time)
245:
178:. Parmenides thought that
162:
1717:Post hoc ergo propter hoc
1699:
1638:
1575:A priori and a posteriori
1562:
1494:
1436:
1389:
1376:Time translation symmetry
1321:
1261:
1251:
1173:
1100:
1020:
961:
845:
763:
673:
635:
621:
590:
474:The Tensed Theory of Time
1620:Multiple time dimensions
582:
379:
224:continual transformation
1764:Concepts in metaphysics
1742:An Experiment with Time
1331:Absolute space and time
982:Astronomical chronology
508:The Principles of Logic
498:The Nature of Existence
438:by Dean Zimmerman, p. 7
362:New riddle of induction
58:"A series and B series"
1681:Growing block universe
1381:Time reversal symmetry
685:Italian six-hour clock
322:growing block universe
1769:Philosophy of physics
1728:The Unreality of Time
1580:A series and B series
1146:Time and fate deities
1091:The Unreality of Time
1030:A series and B series
479:Craig, William Lane,
472:Craig, William Lane,
373:The Unreality of Time
341:egocentric presentism
153:the unreality of time
1397:Chronological dating
1366:Theory of relativity
710:Daylight saving time
345:perspectival realism
337:vertiginous question
300:and the B series is
270:strict partial order
157:philosophers of time
43:improve this article
1666:Four-dimensionalism
690:Thai six-hour clock
413:McTaggart's Paradox
330:four-dimensionalism
1774:Philosophy of time
1556:Philosophy of time
1220:Rosy retrospection
1198:Mental chronometry
1022:Philosophy of time
529:Trinity University
194:McTaggart's series
1751:
1750:
1522:
1521:
1432:
1431:
1407:Circadian rhythms
1225:Tense–aspect–mood
1080:Temporal finitism
957:
956:
933:Grandfather clock
496:McTaggart, J. E.,
483:, Springer, 2010.
476:, Springer, 2000.
422:978-1-138-67724-1
119:
118:
111:
93:
1786:
1779:Theories of time
1700:Related articles
1651:B-theory of time
1646:A-theory of time
1639:Theories of time
1563:Concepts in time
1549:
1542:
1535:
1526:
1525:
1512:
1511:
1502:
1501:
1419:Glottochronology
1259:
1258:
1175:Human experience
1035:B-theory of time
633:
632:
577:
570:
563:
554:
553:
549:
536:Zalta, Edward N.
524:
460:
459:
457:
445:
439:
433:
427:
426:
408:
402:
401:
390:
278:B-theory of time
248:B-theory of time
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
1794:
1793:
1789:
1788:
1787:
1785:
1784:
1783:
1754:
1753:
1752:
1747:
1695:
1634:
1558:
1553:
1523:
1518:
1490:
1481:Time immemorial
1428:
1385:
1346:Coordinate time
1317:
1271:Geological time
1247:
1230:Time management
1193:Generation time
1177:
1169:
1114:
1096:
1016:
975:
953:
841:
759:
676:
669:
625:
617:
586:
581:
522:
517:
469:
464:
463:
446:
442:
434:
430:
423:
409:
405:
391:
387:
382:
353:
314:
286:
250:
244:
204:
196:
165:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1792:
1782:
1781:
1776:
1771:
1766:
1749:
1748:
1746:
1745:
1738:
1731:
1724:
1719:
1714:
1709:
1703:
1701:
1697:
1696:
1694:
1693:
1688:
1683:
1678:
1673:
1668:
1663:
1658:
1653:
1648:
1642:
1640:
1636:
1635:
1633:
1632:
1627:
1625:Temporal parts
1622:
1617:
1615:Imaginary time
1612:
1607:
1602:
1597:
1595:Eternal return
1592:
1587:
1582:
1577:
1572:
1566:
1564:
1560:
1559:
1552:
1551:
1544:
1537:
1529:
1520:
1519:
1517:
1516:
1506:
1495:
1492:
1491:
1489:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1440:
1438:
1434:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1427:
1426:
1424:Time geography
1421:
1416:
1414:Clock reaction
1411:
1410:
1409:
1399:
1393:
1391:
1387:
1386:
1384:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1327:
1325:
1319:
1318:
1316:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1304:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1267:
1265:
1256:
1249:
1248:
1246:
1245:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1216:
1215:
1213:time signature
1210:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1184:
1182:
1171:
1170:
1168:
1167:
1166:
1165:
1155:
1154:
1153:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1117:
1115:
1113:
1112:
1107:
1101:
1098:
1097:
1095:
1094:
1087:
1085:Temporal parts
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1055:Eternal return
1052:
1047:
1042:
1040:Chronocentrism
1037:
1032:
1026:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
984:
978:
976:
974:
973:
968:
962:
959:
958:
955:
954:
952:
951:
950:
949:
935:
930:
925:
920:
919:
918:
913:
912:
911:
906:
896:
891:
886:
881:
880:
879:
869:
868:
867:
851:
849:
843:
842:
840:
839:
832:
827:
825:Hindu Panchang
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
791:
790:
785:
780:
769:
767:
761:
760:
758:
757:
752:
747:
742:
737:
732:
727:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
697:
692:
687:
681:
679:
671:
670:
668:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
641:
639:
630:
619:
618:
616:
615:
610:
605:
600:
594:
592:
588:
587:
580:
579:
572:
565:
557:
551:
550:
532:
516:
515:External links
513:
512:
511:
504:Bradley, F. H.
501:
494:
487:
484:
477:
468:
465:
462:
461:
440:
428:
421:
403:
384:
383:
381:
378:
377:
376:
369:
364:
359:
352:
349:
313:
310:
285:
282:
246:Main article:
243:
240:
203:
200:
195:
192:
164:
161:
149:John McTaggart
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1791:
1780:
1777:
1775:
1772:
1770:
1767:
1765:
1762:
1761:
1759:
1744:
1743:
1739:
1737:
1736:
1732:
1729:
1725:
1723:
1720:
1718:
1715:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1704:
1702:
1698:
1692:
1689:
1687:
1684:
1682:
1679:
1677:
1674:
1672:
1669:
1667:
1664:
1662:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1652:
1649:
1647:
1644:
1643:
1641:
1637:
1631:
1628:
1626:
1623:
1621:
1618:
1616:
1613:
1611:
1608:
1606:
1603:
1601:
1598:
1596:
1593:
1591:
1588:
1586:
1583:
1581:
1578:
1576:
1573:
1571:
1568:
1567:
1565:
1561:
1557:
1550:
1545:
1543:
1538:
1536:
1531:
1530:
1527:
1515:
1507:
1505:
1497:
1496:
1493:
1487:
1484:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1471:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1441:
1439:
1435:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1408:
1405:
1404:
1403:
1402:Chronobiology
1400:
1398:
1395:
1394:
1392:
1388:
1382:
1379:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1336:Arrow of time
1334:
1332:
1329:
1328:
1326:
1324:
1320:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1308:Geochronology
1306:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1287:
1284:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1273:
1272:
1269:
1268:
1266:
1264:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1250:
1244:
1240:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1183:
1181:
1176:
1172:
1164:
1161:
1160:
1159:
1158:Wheel of time
1156:
1152:
1149:
1148:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1102:
1099:
1093:
1092:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1002:Periodization
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
979:
977:
972:
969:
967:
964:
963:
960:
948:
947:
943:
942:
941:
940:
936:
934:
931:
929:
928:Digital clock
926:
924:
921:
917:
914:
910:
907:
905:
902:
901:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
878:
875:
874:
873:
870:
866:
863:
862:
861:
858:
857:
856:
853:
852:
850:
848:
844:
838:
837:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
775:
774:
771:
770:
768:
766:
762:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
705:Relative hour
703:
701:
700:24-hour clock
698:
696:
695:12-hour clock
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
682:
680:
678:
672:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
642:
640:
638:
634:
631:
629:
624:
620:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
596:
595:
593:
589:
585:
578:
573:
571:
566:
564:
559:
558:
555:
547:
546:
541:
537:
533:
530:
526:
519:
518:
509:
505:
502:
499:
495:
492:
488:
485:
482:
478:
475:
471:
470:
456:
451:
444:
437:
432:
424:
418:
414:
407:
400:
396:
389:
385:
375:
374:
370:
368:
365:
363:
360:
358:
355:
354:
348:
346:
342:
338:
333:
331:
327:
323:
319:
309:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
281:
279:
273:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
249:
239:
237:
233:
227:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
199:
191:
189:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
160:
158:
154:
150:
146:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
124:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1740:
1733:
1686:Perdurantism
1579:
1476:Time capsule
1470:Tempus fugit
1468:
1390:Other fields
1089:
1070:Perdurantism
1029:
992:Calendar era
944:
937:
923:Cuckoo clock
860:astronomical
834:
660:Unit of time
591:Key concepts
543:
507:
497:
490:
480:
473:
455:2008.13207v1
443:
431:
412:
406:
398:
394:
388:
371:
367:Perdurantism
334:
315:
306:truth-values
301:
297:
287:
284:Distinctions
274:
251:
228:
223:
222:as being in
219:
205:
197:
168:Metaphysical
166:
147:
130:
126:
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1712:Metaphysics
1656:Endurantism
1630:Temporality
1486:Time travel
1464:System time
1371:Time domain
1356:Proper time
1180:use of time
1151:Father Time
1131:Immortality
1121:Ages of Man
1050:Endurantism
1007:Regnal year
987:Big History
916:water-based
815:Solar Hijri
725:Hexadecimal
675:Measurement
637:Chronometry
623:Measurement
357:Endurantism
268:(forming a
262:irreflexive
143:ontological
123:metaphysics
1758:Categories
1691:Presentism
1661:Eternalism
1610:Eviternity
1188:Chronemics
1163:Kalachakra
1075:Presentism
1060:Eternalism
966:Chronology
904:mechanical
855:Main types
773:Main types
467:References
326:eternalism
318:presentism
294:linguistic
266:transitive
258:asymmetric
176:Parmenides
172:Heraclitus
69:newspapers
1722:Teleology
1444:Leap year
1361:Spacetime
1235:Yesterday
1136:Dreamtime
1110:Mythology
997:Deep time
909:stopwatch
884:hourglass
865:astrarium
795:Gregorian
788:Lunisolar
765:Calendars
755:Time zone
628:standards
302:tenseless
188:ephemeral
99:June 2015
1707:Etiology
1676:Finitism
1671:Fatalism
1600:Eternity
1590:Duration
1504:Category
1252:Time in
1243:Tomorrow
1105:Religion
1045:Duration
1012:Timeline
946:Timeline
745:Sidereal
613:Eternity
351:See also
320:and the
292:and the
242:B series
202:A series
131:B series
129:and the
127:A series
1514:Commons
1437:Related
1351:Instant
1341:Chronon
1323:Physics
1263:Geology
1254:science
1126:Destiny
971:History
939:History
894:sundial
877:quantum
820:Chinese
810:Islamic
720:Decimal
715:Chinese
677:systems
603:Present
538:(ed.).
531:, 2005.
493:, 1908.
232:monadic
212:present
180:reality
163:History
83:scholar
1585:Action
1454:Moment
1449:Memory
1301:period
889:marine
872:atomic
847:Clocks
805:Hebrew
800:Julian
735:Metric
608:Future
419:
298:tensed
254:events
214:, and
208:future
184:change
135:events
125:, the
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1605:Event
1459:Space
1291:epoch
1281:chron
1239:Today
1208:tempo
1203:Music
1065:Event
899:watch
783:Lunar
778:Solar
750:Solar
740:Roman
730:Hindu
450:arXiv
380:Notes
290:logic
236:tense
139:tense
90:JSTOR
76:books
1570:Time
1178:and
1141:Kāla
836:List
830:Maya
626:and
598:Past
584:Time
491:Mind
417:ISBN
343:and
328:and
288:The
264:and
216:past
174:and
62:news
1296:era
1286:eon
1276:age
655:TAI
645:UTC
121:In
45:by
1760::
1241:–
1237:–
650:UT
542:.
506:,
332:.
280:.
260:,
210:,
159:.
1730:"
1726:"
1548:e
1541:t
1534:v
576:e
569:t
562:v
548:.
525:"
523:'
458:.
452::
425:.
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
