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Does only the present exist? Or does the past exist as well?
This classic question of philosophy is discussed in an accessible manner, which does not presume special prior knowledge. Instead, the book presents a serious discussion of this question in the context of our own lived experience: the existence of the past is connected to the meaning of life, death and personal identity.
Of all the subjects that philosophers, physicists, and theologians have debated, the discussion of time has for me been the most fascinating. This book is an inspired contribution to this centuries-old discussion. - Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, from the foreword.
List of contents
Part I: Starting Points.- Chapter 1: What Is Actually Being Argued For?.- Chapter 2: What Is Being Argued Against?.- Chapter 3: The State of the Discussion in Academic Philosophy and Physics.- First Interlude: Why the Existence of the Past Can Make a Difference to Our Sense of Life.- Chapter 4: The Role of Values and Emotions in the Discussion.- Chapter 5: How Does Personal Identity Work if the Past Still Exists?.- Part II: New Lifeworld Arguments for the Existence of the Past.- Chapter 6: The Present Is Too Small for a Meaningful Life.- Chapter 7: The Present Is Incredibly Lonely.- Chapter 8: The Existence of the Past Is the Basis of Moral Action.- Chapter 9: The Existence of the Past Comforts Us in Dealing with Death.- Chapter 10: The Existence of the Past Is the Foundation of the World.- Second Interlude: Why the Existence of the Past Also Makes a Difference to Our Sense of Life on Earth.- Chapter 11: The Existence of the Past Allows Us to Resist the Great Transience.- Part III: Problems and Answers.- Chapter 12: The Terror of the Past.- Chapter 13: The Specialness of the Present for Decisions and the Question of the Future Outlook.- Chapter 14. Outlook.
About the author
Dr. Benjamin Andrae holds a diploma in physics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and a baccalaureate and a PhD in philosophy from the Munich School of Philosophy. He works as CEO of METRUM, a management consulting company focused on the public cultural sector. In this role, he was responsible for projects to support many of Germany’s top cultural institutions, such as the documenta or the Bavarian State Opera. He is also CEO of the Philosophia-Verlag.
Summary
Does only the present exist? Or does the past exist as well?
This classic question of philosophy is discussed in an accessible manner, which does not presume special prior knowledge. Instead, the book presents a serious discussion of this question in the context of our own lived experience: the existence of the past is connected to the meaning of life, death and personal identity.
„Of all the subjects that philosophers, physicists, and theologians have debated, the discussion of time has for me been the most fascinating. This book is an inspired contribution to this centuries-old discussion.“ - Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, from the foreword.
