Wrong Block Theory of Time Description: Evaluate It

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Heidegger1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Block Theory Time
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 1K views
Heidegger1
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I came across this description of the block theory of time. From my understanding, it is completely wrong, but would like someone else to evaluate it.

"The block theory of time (we’ll call it) might be described like this. Suppose events are like villages or locations along a train track. You are on the train. Those villages you have passed through are past events. Whatever village or place you are passing through now is the present. The ones still ahead on the itinerary are future events. You already have knowledge of the places you have been and are. You are on the way to experiencing the places farther up the tracks. When you arrive there you will be able to say you are acquainted with them as well. You take it for granted that the places you are still to visit are as real as the ones you have visited. There will be—it is true now—something it is like to experience them. Fun or boring or so-so, whatever, you can’t say just yet, but there will be something it is like to be there when you get there. There not only will be—there is—a “there there.” There is some truth about these still to come things. You know that much now even before you arrive and are in a position to know the truth value. You take this for granted. The truth about the future is patiently waiting for you to experience it. If your experience of time is like you moving along these tracks, then there are true statements about the future existing now just like there are, for you on the train, villages and places existing now you are not acquainted with. One more thing: you can’t stop or get off the train."
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Welcome to PF.

This is not a description of the block universe so much as an analogy for your experience given that you live in a block universe. As with all analogies, you cannot push it too far.

What do you think is wrong with it? Do remember that there's a fine line between interpretations and philosophy - discussion of the latter will probably get the thread closed.