Why does McTaggart think the A Series is contradictory?

2.2 The A series is contradictory At this stage of the argument (�325), McTaggart takes it as established that time cannot be real if there is no A series, and hence no properties of being past, present, or future. If any events are past, present, or future, then both (1) and (2) must be true.

What does McTaggart claim that change in the B series would amount to does this happen according to him why or why not?

McTaggart argues no change (i.e. an event ceasing or merging) is possible on the B-series because an event has its position on it eternally; it cannot cease to be or come into existence.

What is McTaggart’s paradox?

McTAGGART’S PARADOX. Since sentences which describe temporal relations between events are. always true, it follows, according to McTaggart, that events in the B-series. always exist and so do not change by coming into existence and going. out of existence.

What Is A series and B series of time?

In metaphysics, A series and B series are two different descriptions of the temporal ordering relation among events. The two series differ principally in their use of tense to describe the temporal relation between events and the resulting ontological implications regarding time.

What is now philosophy?

Presentism is the doctrine that only the present is real. … A presentist thinks that everything is present; more generally, that, necessarily, it is always true that everything is (then) present. Presentists and the rest thus disagree about what exists.

What is moving spotlight theory?

The moving spotlight theory of time is usually introduced as follows. The theory combines eternalism—the doctrine that past, present, and future times all exist— with “objective becoming.” The claim that there is objective becoming has two parts. That time, and only that time, glows with a special metaphysical status.