1866 – 1925
John McTaggart Ellis McTaggart (1866–1925) was a British idealist philosopher at Trinity College, Cambridge, best known for his argument for the unreality of time and his systematic personal idealism. His metaphysics held that reality consists entirely of minds and their perceptions, developing a unique atheistic idealism influenced by but departing significantly from Hegel.
Formulated the A-series/B-series distinction in the philosophy of time in 'The Unreality of Time' (1908)
Developed a comprehensive idealist metaphysical system in 'The Nature of Existence' (1921–1927)
Advanced a distinctive atheistic personal idealism arguing reality consists solely of selves and their perceptions
Provided influential early commentary on Hegel's dialectical method in 'Studies in the Hegelian Dialectic' (1896)
By analogy, simply positing relational tropes does not provide an effective theoretical response to Bradley's argument
claimThe contradiction between the self and the not-self can be resolved rather than forcing us to reject both sides and start over.
claimWe can rationally believe both ourselves and God to be mental in nature from a practical point of view.