Straight to the point: Experiential punctivism and the perception of time | Zendy

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Straight to the point: Experiential punctivism and the perception of time

Author(s) -

Henry Pollock

Publication year - 2021

Publication title -

analysis

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.452

H-Index - 45

eISSN - 1467-8284

pISSN - 0003-2638

DOI - 10.1093/analys/anab009

Subject(s) - experiential learning , argument (complex analysis) , epistemology , metaphysics , perception , object (grammar) , phenomenon , philosophy , point (geometry) , psychology , mathematics , linguistics , mathematics education , biochemistry , chemistry , geometry

The aim of this paper is to show that the A-theorist's argument from experience is undermined by a commitment to ‘experiential punctivism' - the view that instantaneous (or near-instantaneous) experiences are metaphysically prior to durative ones. The experiences to which the A-theorist's argument appeals are those of processual events. For these experiences to constitute perceptions of temporal passage it would be necessary to perceive such processes qua processes; but, if experiential punctivism were true, this would be impossible. We could only ever perceive those processes qua temporal variation, which merely amounts to an awareness of change as described by the B-theory. If there is such a phenomenon as the passing of time, it could not be an object of our experience.

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