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A review by marc129
A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time by Adrian Bardon
3.0
“If an answer to the question “What is time?” still seems to elude us, perhaps it is because we have been asking the wrong question. Time is not so much a ‘what’ as a ‘how,’ and not so much a question as an answer”
Throughout the centuries, according to Adrian Bardon, the central issue in thinking about time has been whether time actually exists: is time tangible, as all kinds of language expressions (“time is running”, “I have time”) and our intuitive experience suggest? Is it not just a mental construction with which we (unconsciously) make order in chaotic reality? Or is time pure fiction and is there only a permanently shifting present? Dozens of philosophers and scientists have broken their brains on this issue and have taken up contradictory positions.
Bardon nicely takes stock of the discussion, in a very didactic and relatively accessible story. And, happily, his horizon is very wide. Of course, Parmenides, Aristotle and Augustine are discussed, how could it be otherwise. But Bardon also examines what the positive sciences have contributed to the debate. And I don't just mean the physics of the last centuries, especially Newton, Einstein, Planck and Hawking, but also human sciences such as cognitive psychology and neurology. The author explores their findings, theories and models, in a balanced argument. Occasionally he takes a side path that to me wasn’t really necessary, such as his parenthesis on the free will discussion or on the idle question of whether time travel is possible.
His carefully formulated final conclusion, which leaves room for different approaches (relationalistic, idealistic and realistic), will not satisfy everyone, especially those looking for black-and-white answers, but it is wise. It also opens up the prospect of progress, a slowly better understanding of what time is, and thus also reality, especially by asking new (philosophical) questions over and over again.
(rating 2.5 stars)
For a more elaborate review, see my History-account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2831252746
Throughout the centuries, according to Adrian Bardon, the central issue in thinking about time has been whether time actually exists: is time tangible, as all kinds of language expressions (“time is running”, “I have time”) and our intuitive experience suggest? Is it not just a mental construction with which we (unconsciously) make order in chaotic reality? Or is time pure fiction and is there only a permanently shifting present? Dozens of philosophers and scientists have broken their brains on this issue and have taken up contradictory positions.
Bardon nicely takes stock of the discussion, in a very didactic and relatively accessible story. And, happily, his horizon is very wide. Of course, Parmenides, Aristotle and Augustine are discussed, how could it be otherwise. But Bardon also examines what the positive sciences have contributed to the debate. And I don't just mean the physics of the last centuries, especially Newton, Einstein, Planck and Hawking, but also human sciences such as cognitive psychology and neurology. The author explores their findings, theories and models, in a balanced argument. Occasionally he takes a side path that to me wasn’t really necessary, such as his parenthesis on the free will discussion or on the idle question of whether time travel is possible.
His carefully formulated final conclusion, which leaves room for different approaches (relationalistic, idealistic and realistic), will not satisfy everyone, especially those looking for black-and-white answers, but it is wise. It also opens up the prospect of progress, a slowly better understanding of what time is, and thus also reality, especially by asking new (philosophical) questions over and over again.
(rating 2.5 stars)
For a more elaborate review, see my History-account on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2831252746