The Nature of Time: A Philosophical Exploration

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David Builes is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University, where he works in metaphysics and epistemology and has made serious contributions to the philosophies of mind, science, and mathematics. In this episode, Robinson and David discuss the metaphysics of time—including debates about the reality of the past, present, and future—the question of whether science can explain consciousness, and whether numbers exist as abstract objects.

David’s Website: https://davidbuiles.com

OUTLINE

00:00 Introduction

01:05 David’s Interest in Philosophy

05:47 On the Philosophy of Time

16:01 In Defense of Presentism

24:21 How Long is the Present?

25:58 Humean and Non-Humean Laws

28:02 Can Science Explain Consciousness?

40:25 Does David Believe His Work?

43:32 First-Person Realism

53:18 Is First-Person Realism Correct?

57:42 The Philosophy of Math

01:01:45 Do Numbers Exist?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, historians, economists, and everyone in-between.