Skip to content

Topics Thinkers Changes ContributorsLoading account…

Carmelics

A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

Navigate

Topics
Search
Recent Changes
Contribute
How It Works
Glossary
Thinkers
Contributors
About
Statistics
Terms
Privacy

Database

Statements: —
Perspectives: —
Topics: —

Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

Made within

DC&

Austin

Statements: 321,452
Perspectives: 108,905
Topics: 42

Without distinguishing these co-present selves, enduranti... — Carmelics

History Edit See Inverse

Part of a larger discussion

Challenges→Endurantism can account for time travel

Without distinguishing these co-present selves, endurantism cannot coherently represent the causal structure of the time traveler's personal history, as Lewis's 1976 analysis requires.

?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.

1 reason for

1 reason against

Reasons For

1 perspective

Reason for

?

1.Endurantism claims objects persist by being wholly present at each time; time travelers create temporal loops requiring distinct causally-efficacious stages.
?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
2.Lewis's analysis demands tracking which stages cause which effects; without distinguishing co-present selves, causal order becomes indeterminate.
?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
3.A single unified enduring self cannot simultaneously be both cause and effect in the same causal chain without violating standard causal asymmetry.
?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

Reasons Against

1 perspective

Reason against

?

1.Perdurantism (not endurantism) better handles time travel; endurantists can simply deny backwards causation rather than multiply selves.
?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
2.Co-present selves aren't required—temporal indexing alone (being F-at-t1 vs F-at-t2) preserves causal distinctions within standard endurantism.
?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak
3.Lewis's own counterpart theory already provides causal structure without metaphysically distinct co-present selves in the same world.
?
Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

Next step

Based on where you are in your exploration

Strongest counterpoint

Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

Key Terms

Co-present selves(time travel philosophy): Multiple versions of the same person existing at the same time, which would happen if someone traveled backward in time and met their younger self.
Endurantism(Contrasted with views that posit temporal parts): The view that things are wholly present whenever they exist
Lewis's 1976 analysis(philosophy of time and logic): A philosophical argument by David Lewis, a major 20th-century philosopher, presented in his 1976 work about how time travel is logically possible.
Personal history(metaphysics of personal identity): The sequence of events, experiences, and changes that make up someone's life over time.
causal structure(Paired with inertial structure as jointly sufficient to determine metrical structure.): The structure of the world defined by causal relations, operationalized here via light signals.

Connections

2 topics

Modality & Possibility1 linked Personal Identity1 linked

Related

A single unified enduring self cannot simultaneously be both cause and effect in...Co-present selves aren't required—temporal indexing alone (being F-at-t1 vs F-at...Endurantism can account for time travel Endurantism claims objects persist by being wholly present at each time; time tr...

+3 moreShow less

Lewis's analysis demands tracking which stages cause which effects; without dist...Lewis's own counterpart theory already provides causal structure without metaphy...

Details

Type: claim
Perspectives: 2 (1 for, 1 against)
Edits: 1 edit

Perdurantism (not endurantism) better handles time travel; endurantists can simp...