- Imagine time as much like a fourth spatial dimension – the whole universe in time and space is the block.
The block universe: a stack of 3-dimensional (or
here
2-dimensional for illustrative purposes) spatial slices, each a
distribution
of bodies in space. I've pulled one out – the lines represent the
'worldlines'
of bodies, so the dots represent them at an instant.
- The question is whether the block universe is sufficient for
understanding
our experiences of time and the role of time in physics: it seems
questionable,
because time seems so different from space! In what ways?
2. The Passage of Time
- How can things change in the block universe if it never changes itself?
- What is it like to experience change? As opposed to variation in space?
- How can we explain the experience? Is there a moving present in addition to the block?
- Why doesn't singling out a slice as the present help?
- How does the analogy to illuminating slices fail?
- McTaggart – if the block contains everything that happens, why can't it contain a moving present?
- What alternatives does the nowist have?
- What if there are lots of blocks with different presents?
- What if there is a growing block?
