The role of genidentity in the causal theory of time

Philosophy of Science 42 (1):11-19 (1975)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

A recent version of the causal theory of time makes crucial use of a concept of the genidentity of events when it attempts to define temporal betweenness in terms of empirical, physical properties. By presenting and discussing an apparent counter-example it is argued that the role of genidentity in an empirical theory of time is problematic. In particular, it may be that the temporal behavior of objects is used to decide which events are genidentical, and, if so, the definition of temporal betweenness is circular. On the other hand, though there are strategies for avoiding the charge of circularity, in certain hypothetical situations the definition may yield inconsistent temporal orders. Then, the definition would have to be supplemented by a choice of temporal orders, and this choice may introduce an element of conventionality into the causal theory of time

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 93,612

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Causation and Temporal Relations.Michael Tooley - 1997 - In Time, Tense, and Causation. Oxford, GB: Oxford University Press.
Notes on the causal theory of time.John Earman - 1972 - Synthese 24 (1-2):74 - 86.
Supervenience and reductionism in Leibniz’s philosophy of time.Michael J. Futch - 2002 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 33 (4):793-810.
Supervenience and (non-modal) reductionism in Leibniz's philosophy of time.J. M. - 2002 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 33 (4):793-810.
Time and Morality.Krister Bykvist - 2013 - In Adrian Bardon & Heather Dyke (eds.), A Companion to the Philosophy of Time. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 549–562.
How to tell causes from effects: Kant’s causal theory of time and modern approaches.Martin Carrier - 2003 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 34 (1):59-71.

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
81 (#201,845)

6 months
12 (#306,771)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Citations of this work

No citations found.

Add more citations

References found in this work

Critique of Pure Reason.I. Kant - 1787/1998 - Philosophy 59 (230):555-557.

Add more references