Unit One: Time

Fall 2014, MW 10- 11:20 Prof. Kadri Vihvelin Classroom: VKC 211 MHP 212, 740-5185 Office Hours: MW 11:30-12:30 [email protected] (and by appointment)

ARLT 100g (section 35214) PROBLEMS OF TIME AND SPACE

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Our view of ourselves is intimately bound up with time and space, and the things that happen in time and space: we take up space and move around in it, we are affected by change and are the initiators of change, we persist through time and change from the day we are born until the day we die. But what are time and space ? Are they real, or do they exist only in the mind? If time and space are real, does that mean that there could be space without anything in it and time without anything happening? How does time differ from space? Does time really pass? If time passes, why does it pass in one direction only, from the past to the future? Could time change direction? Is the future real? If the future is real, does that mean that whatever happens is pre-determined or fated to happen? Is the past real? Is time travel possible? In this class, we will discuss these and other philosophical questions by reading, among other things, two works of literature that highlight questions about time (Slaughterhouse-Five and Time's Arrow), a book called Travels in Four Dimensions which is a philosopher's introduction to problems of time and space, and Riddles of Existence, a short introduction to Analytical Metaphysics, which is the branch of philosophy that investigates the most fundamental questions about the nature of reality.

BOOKS :

1. Robin le Poidevin, Travels in Four Dimensions: The Enigmas of Space and Time, (required) 2. E. Conee & T. Sider, Riddles of Existence, OUP 2007 (required) 3. Martin Amis, Time's Arrow, paperback (required) 4. Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, (required) 5. C. Callender and R. Edney, Introducing Time , Totem Books, 2001, paperback (optional) Other readings are available on Blackboard (BB).

OUTLINE OF READINGS: We will read all or most of the following, in approximately this order:

Aug. 25 Introduction to topic, goals of course, class format and methodology

Aug. 27 St. Augustine, "Time Tends not to Be" (BB) Le Poidevin, Preface

Recommended (helpful background): Callender, pp. 1-13, p. 168

Sept. 1 NO CLASS (Labor Day)

Sept. 3 Le Poidevin, Chap. 1, "The Measure of All Things"

Sept. 8 Le Poidevin, Chap. 2, "Change" Wittgenstein, "St. Augustine's Puzzle about Time" (BB)

Sept.10 Conee & Sider, Chap. 9, "Possibility and Necessity"

Sept. 15 Shoemaker, "Time Without Change" (BB)

Recommended (helpful background): Callender, pp. 14-27

Sept. 17 Le Poidevin, Chap. 3, "A Box with No Sides?", pp. 31-41

Sept. 22 Le Poidevin, Chap. 3, "A Box with No Sides?", pp. 41-51

Sept. 24 Le Poidevin, Chap. 4, "Curves and Dimensions"

Recommended: Callender, pp. 96-97

Sept. 29 Le Poidevin, Chap. 5, "The Beginning and End of Time"

Recommended: Callender, pp. 118- 121; p. 127

Oct. 1 Le Poidevin, Chap. 6, "The Edge of Space" FIRST PAPER TOPICS

Oct. 6 MIDTERM

2 Oct. 8 Quinton, "Spaces and Times" (BB)

Oct. 13 Amis, Time's Arrow, pp. 3-16 Conee & Sider, Chap. 1, "Personal Identity"

Oct. 15 Amis, Time's Arrow, pp. 17-63

Oct. 20 Amis, Time's Arrow, pp. 65-93

Oct. 22 Le Poidevin, Chap. 8, "Does Time Pass?", pp. 122-135

FIRST PAPER DUE

Oct. 27 Le Poidevin, Chap. 8, "Does Time Pass?" (pp.135-140) Prior, "Thank Goodness that's Over!" (BB) Prior, "Some Free Thinking about Time" (BB)

Recommended: Callender, pp. 33-36, pp. 46-47

Oct. 29 Le Poidevin, Chap. 8, "Does Time Pass?", pp. 140-146 Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse 5, pp. 1 -70

Recommended: Callender, pp. 37- 45, pp. 48-51

Nov. 3 Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse 5, pp. 71-140 Smart, "The Space-Time World" (BB) Quine, "Time" (BB)

SECOND PAPER TOPICS

Nov. 5 Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse 5, pp.141-205 Le Poidevin, Chap. 12, "The Arrows of Time", pp. 203- top of 218

Nov. 10 Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse 5, pp.205-275 Le Poidevin, Chap. 12, "The Arrows of Time", pp. 218-233

Nov. 12 Taylor, "The Book of Fate" (BB Conee & Sider, Chap.3, "Time"

Nov. 17 Vihvelin, "Why the Logical Fatalist is Confused" (BB)

Nov. 19 H.G. Wells, The Time Machine (excerpt) (BB) Le Poidevin, Chap.10, "Interfering with History", pp. 164- top of p. 174

SECOND PAPER DUE

3 Nov. 24 Heinlein, "All You Zombies" (BB) Le Poidevin, Chap.10, "Interfering with History", pp. 174-184

Nov. 26 NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)

THIRD PAPER TOPICS

Dec. 1 Lewis, "The Paradoxes of Time Travel" (BB)

Dec. 3 Review and Concluding Remarks

Dec. 15 THIRD PAPER DUE

EVALUATION:

1. midterm 15% 2. Paper #1 (5-6 pages) 25% 3. class participation 10% 4. Paper #2 (5-6 pages) 25% 5. Paper #3 (5-6 pages) 25%

REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES:

You are required to read all the assigned readings (at least once, and, for the philosophy articles and books, preferably two or three times, since those readings are very difficult) and to attend all classes. Paper topics and the midterm will be based on material discussed in class as well as material in the readings.

The paper topics will be distributed at least two weeks (and usually more) before the paper is due. I will accept late papers but I reserve the right to enforce the following draconian policy: the grade will be dropped one notch (eg. from an A to an A-) for each day that the paper is late. I would prefer not to enforce this policy, so please get in touch with me - sooner rather than later -- if you miss a paper deadline, or anticipate missing a deadline.

There is a class participation grade, which can be earned in one of two ways. You may choose to write a total of 10 one page writing exercises (see below for details). Or you may choose to write a total of 8 one page writing exercises and also do a class presentation (about 20 minutes long) on a portion of the assigned readings. (If you do a

4 presentation, you must also prepare a one page outline of your presentation, and hand it to me at the beginning of class.) I will distribute a list of the presentation topics early in the semester.

The questions for the one page weekly writing exercises will be posted on Blackboard each week (on Thursday or Friday) and will be due in class the following Wednesday. I will not accept any "weeklies" by email, and I won't accept any late weeklies. This rule is non-negotiable. But you only need to do ten altogether (or eight, if you choose the presentation option) so you can skip many weeks of "weeklies" and still receive a perfect class participation grade. The weeklies will be graded either 1 (acceptable) or 0 (unacceptable).

Please remember the very strict rules against plagiarism, which is the representation of the work of another as your own. I do not recommend doing additional research for any of your papers, but if you want to discuss something you have already read outside class, you may. But you must acknowledge and footnote your source.

Universities policies concerning “incompletes” will be strictly observed. You may not receive a grade of “IN” unless you are very ill or face a genuine emergency. In either case, get in touch with me as soon as possible since paperwork must be filed.

If you require academic accommodations based on a disability please inform me (as well as Disability Services and Programs) as early in the semester as possible, so that I can make whatever arrangements are necessary.

Student evaluations of this course will be conducted online sometime during the last two weeks of the semester.