Essay outside of the NMT (No-Me Teaching) series 19 a

Quantum Reality – Time 5 – metaphysical B:

Further comparing Tensed vs. Tenseless theories of Time, we recall that the (B–series) offers only a non-temporal relation of Precedence between 2 events such as: "E precedes F". This does not change with Time for the (B–series). That contrasts with the (A–series) of "Past, Present, Future" where "E" or "F" does change with Time since the Future becomes the Present, & the Present becomes the Past. This (majority view) choice of an (A–series) can be further divided into 3 alternatives referred to as Presentism, & a Growing Block Universe.

Both of the (A–series) sub-categories just mentioned include an objective Present, but Presentism specifically assumes that only Present objects exist. The Growing Block Universe assumes both Present & Past objects exist, but no Future objects yet exist. So to the singular Present of Presentism the Growing Block Universe adds a real Past (which increases as a “growing” block), though neither accepts a reality for the not-yet occurring Future.

So while there is no objective Present in the (B-theory), there is a “friendlier” general attitude toward the Future. The (B-theory) in turn has it‘s own (not exactly contrasting or separate) over-lapping subdivisions of Eternalism  [which confusingly preceded the above (A-theory) “growing” block in being also called the Block Universe but just not “growing”]  & an also closely related 4–Dimensionalism. Without putting too fine a point on it, the essentially identical terms (B-theory) terms Eternalism & Block Universe, precede, but then were later confirmed by the 4–Dimensionalism of Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity (SR). [McTaggart & Einstein published at similar times, but the former was not yet familiar with the later.]  Einstein’s SR depicts a “static” 4-D Space-Time. Here, the Future, designated relative to a specified Observer, claims the same ontological status as some distant point in Space.

Eternalism (just prior to SR) was a philosophical approach to the ontological nature of Time. Eternalism took the view that all points in Time as equally "real", as opposed to the Presentist idea that only the Present is real. Philosophy’s Eternalism or the equivalent 4–Dimensionalism of Relativity Physics means that Time is just another dimension. Future events are "already there", & that there is no objective flow of Time. It was sometimes referred to as the "Block Time" or "Block Universe" theory, due to its description of Space-Time as an unchanging 4-D "block", as opposed to the view of the world as a 3-D Space “modulated” by a “passage” of Time. [But again, this differs from the later-named “Growing Block Universe” of the (A-theory) that is not Presentism.]

Reviewing again that (A-theory) Presentism, we note again that there are only the events & entities in the Present, along with some timeless objects or ideas like numbers & Mathematical sets. These latter additions are also taken to occur & exist in the Present. Furthermore, for Presentism, the so-called events & entities that are wholly Past or wholly Future do not exist at all.

The (A-theory) Presentism contrasts with the (A-theory) Growing Block Universe & also contrast with the (B-theory) Block Universe, more usually called Eternalism, or more clearly called 4–Dimensionalism. Cutting across both (A-theory) & (B-theory) we see that Growing Block Universe & Eternalism, respectively are the Metaphysical theories that extends to Future events. Referring back to the early centuries A.D., we saw that Augustine spoke of the Present “knife edge” between Past & Future which itself could not not contain any “extended” period of Time. Injecting that concept into pure Presentism (without a “growing” Block of the Past) would dissolve Time as essentiall un-real, according to the even more ancient doctrine of the “3-Times” described earlier.

But the “Father of Psychology” William James argued that conscious experience is naturally extended in Time, in that there is "the short duration of which we are immediately & incessantly sensible". With his own earlier form of Presentism, James further concurred that: "everything Past is unreal, everything Future is unreal, everything imagined, absent, or mental is unreal. Ultimately real is only the Present moment of physical “efficiency” which we would now call “efficacy”. The latter refers to the ability to participate on as a “cause” in Causation, Cause & Effect.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:

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"There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/