The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesStatic block theorists' accountsThe general problem for detensersThe basic plot lineEvidence of the Constructed PresentThe phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsTime and consciousnessChristian Wüthrichhttp://philosophy.ucsd.edu/faculty/wuthrich/146 Philosophy of PhysicsClass 7, 18 October 2007Christian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsFrom Carnap’s intellectual autobiography“Once Einstein said that the problem of the Now worried himseriously. He explained that the experience of the Now meanssomething special for man, something essentially different from thepast and the future, but that this important difference does not andcannot occur within physics. That this experience cannot be graspedby science seems to him a matter of painful but inevitable resignation.I remarked that all that occurs objectively can be described inscience: on the one hand the temporal sequence of events isdescribed in physics; and, on the other hand, the peculiarities ofman’s experiences with respect to time, including his different attitudetoward past, present and future, can be described and (in principle)explained in psychology. But Einstein thought that scientificdescriptions cannot possibly satisfy our human needs; that there issomething essential about the Now which is just outside of the realmof science.” (Carnap (1963), 37f)Christian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsTemporal experiencesBefore we start:perception of time vs. perceptions of things and events in timeExplananda of an account of temporal experience according toDainton:1experience of change, which is as direct as experience ofcolour or shape2phenomenal flow (“distinctive sort of dynamism that ischaracteristic of unchanging sensations”)Christian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsFundamental aspects of temporal experience, “elementary timeexperiences”, according to Le Poidevin:1duration2non-simultaneity3order4past and present5change, including the passage of timeChristian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesMemory-based accountsAugustinian conundrum: What are we measuring when wemeasure the duration of an interval of time?Not a past event: past events don’t exist and thus cannot havepropertiesNot a present event: the present has no duration⇒ Augustine: it must be in memory.⇒ memory-based accounts of phenomenal temporalityChristian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesMain idea: metrical information (e.g. “the burst of soundwas very brief”) is derived from tensed information storedin memory about how far in past an event occurredinference model: time of event is inferred from informationabout relations bw event and other events whose time isknown⇒ memory plays important part in accounting for experiencesof temporality, but cannot fully do the job by itself, as therecould be no direct experience of duration and changeotherwiseChristian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesThe pulse theoryWhiteheadian account: stream of consciousness consist ofshort pulses of experience of finite duration (pulsescorrespond to “specious present”), all parts of which are“co-conscious”⇒ Change, duration, non-simultaneity, order can be directlyexperienced during a single pulseProblem: there should be a difference bw e.g. changewithin a pulse and change between pulsesChristian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesThe specious presentDefinition (Specious present by William James)“The prototype of all conceived times is the specious present,the short duration of which we are immediately and incessantlysensible.” (James (1890))James: specious present is bw a few seconds to “probablynot more than a minute” ⇒ vagueDefinition (Specious present)The specious present is the interval of time s.t. eventsoccurring within this interval are experienced as present.Christian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesThesis (Doctrine of the specious present)“[T]he group of events we experience at any one time aspresent contains successive events spanning an interval.” (LePoidevin, 3)“specious”: unlike “objective” present, it is an interval ratherthan a durationless instantArg 1: Broad (1923): we see things as moving, e.g. secondhand of clock1What we see, we see as present.2We see motion.3Motion occurs over an interval.4Therefore, what we see as present occurs over an interval.(Le Poidevin, 3f)Christian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesProblem with Arg 1: we do not see successive positions ofmoving object as simultaneous (objects would be blurredrather than moving)Arg 2: we simply see things as simultaneous when theyare not simultaneously presented to our sensesscientific evidence for Arg 2Christian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap theoriesThe awareness overlap theoryconsciousness consists of an awareness of phenomenalcontents⇒ distinction bw phenomenal contents and acts of awarenessChristian Wüthrich Class 7The phenomenology of timeAccounts of phenomenal temporalityStatic block theorists’ accountsMemory-based accountsThe pulse theory and the specious presentOverlap