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Presentism and Eternalism: Two Philosophical Theories About Time (2)[1]

現時論與永恆論：兩種有關時間的哲學理論(二)

Eternalism contrasts to Presentism and is thought of as its opposite. Eternalism is the philosophical theory which says that all points in time are equally real. The past, the present, and the future are all real. In this sense, Socrates and tomorrow’s events exist right now, even if I cannot see them or interact with them. Many philosophers have adopted Eternalism because they argue that Presentism is contradicted by Einstein’s Special and General Theory of Relativity, whereas Eternalism agrees with it. As the philosopher of science, Dean Rickles puts it: “the consensus among philosophers seems to be that special and general relativity are incompatible with presentism.”

Presentism and Eternalism: Two Philosophical Theories About Time[1]

現時論與永恆論：兩種有關時間的哲學理論

Presentism is a theory in philosophy which says that the only events and objects which exist are those that exist in the present. So, only things which exist now, right now, really exist. It is a theory which focuses on the temporal present; that is, things existing in the present moment. It is not a theory concerned with whether things exist somewhere else. So long as that object or event which is spatially distant from us exists in the present moment, then it exists. If we were to make a list of all the things that a Presentist believes exists and does not exist; in the list of things that do exist we would have: the Grand Canyon and the Taj Mahal; whereas in the list of things that do not exist we would have: Socrates and tomorrow’s events.

現時論認為只有存在在現在的人事物才是唯一存在著的。所以，只有存在在現在(此時此刻)的東西才是真實存在的。這個理論的重點是時間上的當下，也就是存在在此刻的東西。這個理論不討論事物是否存在在其他地方。無論空間上與我們距離遙不遙遠，只要那個事或物存在在此刻，那它就存在。如果要把所有現時論者認為存在以及不存在的東西都分別列出來的話，那麼，出現在存在表上的就會有：大峽谷和泰姬瑪哈陵；而出現在不存在表上的則會有：蘇格拉底和明天要做的事。