The Transcendental Phenomenological Argument against Eternalism

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we argue against eternalism on the basis of certain phenomenological considerations regarding our experiential life in a relatively novel way. Contrary to well-known phenomenological arguments that attempt to refute tenseless theories of time, our argument that we call the Transcendental Phenomenological Argument against Eternalism is against both tenseless and tensed versions of eternalism. The argument is based on the fact that one experiences a phenomenological succession of experiences, and it shows that perdurantist forms of eternalism have to either deny this fact or should embrace ad hoc and metaphysically implausible assumptions about the nature of the mind. As we argue, neither of these options seems to be too promising.