Heather Dyke (LSE): “On Methodology in the Metaphysics of Time”

Abstract: I examine some of the methodologies employed in recent and contemporary work in the metaphysics of time, and argue that we cannot expect them to be fruitful in helping us discover the fundamental nature of time. The strategies I focus on are: the burden-of-proof strategy, the appeal to common sense intuitions, and the appeal to the nature of ordinary language. I then offer some suggestions as to how I think the metaphysics of time should be carried out. My view is that metaphysics should be scientifically informed, and I spell out what I mean by this. Finally, I argue that if our aim is to arrive at the truth about the fundamental nature of time, then coherence with current science should be the key desideratum for any metaphysical theory of time.