McTaggart and indexing the copula

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• 作者：Bradley Rettler (1) rettlerb@gmail.com
• 关键词：McTaggart &#8211 ; Unreality of time &#8211 ; Problem of temporary intrinsics &#8211 ; Lewis
• 刊名：Philosophical Studies
• 出版年：2012
• 出版时间：April 2012
• 年：2012
• 卷：158
• 期：3
• 页码：431-434
• 全文大小：177.5 KB
• 参考文献：1. Craig, W. L. (1998). McTaggart’s paradox and the problem of temporary intrinsics. Analysis, 58(2), 122–127.
  2. Haslanger, S. (1989). Endurance and temporary intrinsics. Analysis, 49, 119–125.
  3. Johnston, M. (1987). Is there a problem about persistence? Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volume, 61, 107–135.
  4. Lewis, D. (1986). On the plurality of worlds. Oxford, UK: Basil Blackwell.
  5. Lewis, D. (2002). Tensing the copula. Mind, 111(441), 1–14.
  6. Lowe, E. J. (1988). The problems of intrinsic change: Rejoinder to Lewis. Analysis, 48, 72–77.
  7. McTaggart, J. M. E. (1908). The unreality of time. Mind, 17, 456–473.
  8. Rea, M. C. (2003). Four-dimensionalism. In: M. J. Loux & D. W. Zimmerman (Eds.), Oxford handbook of metaphysics (pp. 246–280). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
• 作者单位：1. University of Notre Dame, 100 Malloy Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
• ISSN：1573-0883

文摘

In this paper, I show how a solution to Lewis’ problem of temporary intrinsics is also a response to McTaggart’s argument that the A-series is incoherent. There are three strategies Lewis considers for solving the problem of temporary intrinsics: perdurantism, presentism, and property-indexing. William Lane Craig (Analysis 58(2):122–127, 1998) has examined how the three strategies fare with respect to McTaggart’s argument. The only viable solution Lewis considers to the problem of temporary intrinsics that also succeeds against McTaggart, Craig claims, is presentism. This gives us prima facie reason to be presentists. But there is a strategy Craig does not consider-indexing, or relativizing, the copula. In this paper, I show that to the degree that indexing the copula solves the problem of temporary intrinsics, it also shows the invalidity of McTaggart’s argument. The upshot: the copula-indexer needn’t affirm the unreality of time, nor need she embrace presentism.