(Untitled)

[tyrone_slothrop]

i explained mctaggart's proof of the nonexistence of time to my 6-year-old brother today. and he understood it! he believes in santa but not in time. how now is that?

he still believes in god however. he thinks i'm an atheist as i don't go to sunday school. but i have convinced him that the pope was a jerk. hmm!

Comments

[_my_evil_twin]

i thought ol' mcT's theory was flawed? can't say i really paid attention in that class tho, to tell the truth...

[tyrone_slothrop]

It's watertight.

[heraclitus]

Unless you deny the isomorphism of language and reality.

Zam!

[heraclitus]

Actually, there are a few end-game tricks around it, but it is a pretty little turd to leave in the punchbowl.

[easwaran]

Your brother is pretty gullible I see.

I don't think the non-existence of time is ever "now". Unless it always is, I suppose.

Doesn't McTaggart just rest on an equivocation of "eternal" tenseless statements with present tense statements?

[tyrone_slothrop]

Well, as much as I try to disagree with McTaggart, the paradox can always adapt itself to the solution, like the deadliest of virurses.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by the equivocation though...are you saying that McTaggart sees the need to give present-tense statements eternal truth-conditions, and because of this, will always lapse into contradiction? I mean, the paradox arises anew even if we say this (as obviously, if the truth-condition of 'x is now' is the fact of x's being now, a truth-condition which can only be applied when x is now, then obviously it both applies and does not apply at the same time, if the now is past and future...holy crap this is vague. but is someting like that what you meant?)

[ironed_orchid]

More proof that we should be learning the basics of philosophy and especially thought experiments in primary school. That way we can get it all over and done with before we discover drugs.

[miss_behave]

My youngest doesn't believe in Santa - he thinks Buddha brings the presents.

Work that one out! ;)

[tyrone_slothrop]

This is Bec, yeah? That's becuase he is a genius.

[miss_behave]

Genius, nutter - it's all much of a muchness.... ;)

[talesque]

I want a little follower I can indoctrinate too.
Step number 1 to taking over the world = Lots of kids that can spread and live by the message.

[pigseatingfigs]

no, I'd say that was Step 2. Step 1 is getting your mitts on a REALLY big gun.