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The Roots of C. D. Broad’s Growing Block Theory of Time

Thomas, Emily

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Abstract

The growing block view of time holds that the past and present are real whilst the future is unreal; as future events become present and real, they are added on to the growing block of reality. Surprisingly, given the recent interest in this view, there is very little literature on its origins. This paper explores those origins, and advances two theses. First, I show that although C. D. Broad’s (1923) Scientific Thought provides the first defence of the growing block theory, the theory receives its first articulation in Samuel Alexander’s (1920) Space, Time, and Deity. Further, Alexander’s account of deity inclines towards the growing block view. Second, I argue that Broad shifted towards the growing block theory as a result of his newfound conviction that time has a direction. By way of tying these theses together, I argue that Broad’s views on the direction of time – and possibly even his growing block theory – are sourced in Alexander.

Citation

Thomas, E. (2019). The Roots of C. D. Broad’s Growing Block Theory of Time. Mind, 128(510), 527-549. https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzx020

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 3, 2017
Online Publication Date Oct 3, 2017
Publication Date Apr 30, 2019
Deposit Date Jul 14, 2017
Publicly Available Date Oct 3, 2019
Journal Mind
Print ISSN 0026-4423
Electronic ISSN 1460-2113
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 128
Issue 510
Pages 527-549
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzx020
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1355078

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Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Mind following peer review. The version of record Thomas, Emily (2019). The Roots of C. D. Broad’s Growing Block Theory of Time. Mind 128(510): 527-549is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzx020






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