Week 2: Understanding McTaggart´s Inconsistency Argument

Dear all, next week we will discuss in more details McTaggart´s argument for the inconsistency of the A-theory. As I said, it is easy to misconstrue the argument. To avoid this, I chose a recent version of it by Kit Fine, which does not involve second order A-properties or infinite regresses. It seems to me that this version captures something essential about the argument. You will find it in Chapter 8 of the linked book Modality and Tense. The chapter is rather long, if you are in a hurry or feel too lazy for it, the argument is presented in pages 270-284.

The other essential reading is a defence of the standard version of the argument, by LePoidevin and Mellor (a hero of the B-theory).

Essential Readings

Fine - Modality and Tense

Lepoidevin and Mellor - Time, Change and the ´Indexical Fallacy´


Further Readings

Dummett - A Defence of McTaggart Proof

Oaklander - McTaggart´s Paradox and Smith´s Tensed Theory of Time

Lowe - McTaggart´s Paradox Revisited