The Philosophy of Time (Oxford Readings in Philosophy) [Paperback]

Robin Le Poidevin (Editor), Murray MacBeath (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0198239998 | ISBN-13: 978-0198239994 | Edition: First Edition

This volume provides a balanced set of reviews which introduce the central topics in the philosophy of time. This is the first introductory anthology on the subject to appear for many years; the contributors are distinguished, and two of the essays are specially written for this collection. In their introduction, the editors summarize the background to the debate, and show the relevance of issues in the philosophy of time for other branches of philosophy and for science. Contributors include J.M.E. McTaggart, Arthur N. Prior, D.H. Mellor, Sydney Shoemaker, Graeme Forbes, Lawrence Sklar, Michael Dummett, David Lewis, W.H. Newton-Smith, and Anthony Quinton.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is about time a book of this magnitude came into the picture. Very timely. It covers the topic well."--Scott Engel, Miles Community College

"A wonderful collection of stimulating essays which are sure to hold the interest of my students."--Micheal W. Palmer, Bluefield College

"This is an excellent single volume treatment of a most important subject. It nicely combines both classical and contemporary approaches. The price is right, too."--Robert P. Tucker, Florida Southern College

"Though philosophers have long attended to the profound implications physics has had upon our understanding of time, interest again appears to be growing in metaphysical issues of time as well. Le Poidevin and MacBeath's outstanding new anthology-presenting influential viewpoints current within the metaphysics rather than physics of time-not only reflects this trend, but should provide a powerful impetus to it....An important compilation of recent works useful for professionals and for advanced students in the metaphysics of time. As the newest volume in the Oxford Readings in Philosophy, this book makes an outstanding addition to an already distinguished series."--Teaching Philosophy

About the Author

Robin Le Poidevin was a Research Fellow at the University of St Andrews (1988-9) and Lecturer in Philosophy at Oriel College, Oxford (1987) He lives in Farnhill, West Yorkshire. Andrew MacBeath lives in Dunblane, Perthshire.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (May 20, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198239998
• ISBN-13: 978-0198239994
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Time

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine collection., June 8, 2000

By 

John S. Ryan "Scott Ryan" (Cuyahoga Falls, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Philosophy of Time (Oxford Readings in Philosophy) (Paperback)

This is an excellent collection of readings on the philosophy of time. The contents include twelve essays by twelve different philosophers (including the editors of the volume) -- the very first of which is taken from the famous thirty-third chapter of John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart's _The Nature of Existence_. (Originally entitled "Time," the chapter is here retitled "The Unreality of Time.")

I remarked in my review of that book that McTaggart's argument has been tried and found wanting, but one important partial exception is featured in this volume: D.H. Mellor's piece "The Unreality of Tense." Mellor does not, indeed, accept McTaggart's conclusion that time itself is "unreal," but he does take McTaggart to have provided a successful argument for a "tenseless" theory of time. (Mellor's piece is a revision of chapter 6 of his book _Real Time_ -- the first edition, I presume.)

The other essays range over a wide variety of topics, from David Lewis's "The Paradoxes of Time Travel" to Michael Dummet's "Bringing About The Past," from whether time really "passes" or not and whether the nature of time is a philosophical or an empirical question to whether time has a beginning and whether change is real. I shall not try to comment on them all.

But the selections are excellent and the collection as a whole is very thorough. In short, this a fine set of readings for anyone with time on his hands.