The Reality of Time

Preface I. Introduction: The Nature and Vindication Prevalent Repudiation of Metaphysics What is Metaphysics? The Restoration of Metaphysics II. Metaphysical Problems of Time Passage, Movement, and Measurement How Do We Identify the Present? Change, Permanence, and the Transcendence of Passage Spinoza Provides a Clue III. Physical Time Attempts to Eliminate Passage from Physical Time Process, Order, and Chaos The Paradoxes of Zeno Cosmic Time Time Reversal Cosmic History and Cosmic Unity IV. Biological Time Organism and Duree The Emergence of Life Evolution Environment and Biological Clocks Behavior Biocoenoses Conclusion V. Psychological Time The Stream of Consciousness The Specious Present Time and the Transcendental Subject The Problem of the Transcendental Ego Soultion to the Problem VI. Historical Time Res Gestae The Idea of the Historical Past The Historical Process Structuralism and Deconstructionism VII. Dialectic in History Historical Thinking Transformation of Conceptual Schemes The Dialectical Scale Historical Objectivity The Historical Universal VIII. Evolution and Omega Evolution, Diachronic, and Synchronic The Features of Wholeness Differentiation and Process The Clue to "Omega" Omega and Time Omega and Deity "Mysticism" Notes Select Bibliography Index

Table of Contents:
Preface I. Introduction: The Nature and Vindication Prevalent Repudiation of Metaphysics What is Metaphysics? The Restoration of Metaphysics II. Metaphysical Problems of Time Passage, Movement, and Measurement How Do We Identify the Present? Change, Permanence, and the Transcendence of Passage Spinoza Provides a Clue III. Physical Time Attempts to Eliminate Passage from Physical Time Process, Order, and Chaos The Paradoxes of Zeno Cosmic Time Time Reversal Cosmic History and Cosmic Unity IV. Biological Time Organism and Duree The Emergence of Life Evolution Environment and Biological Clocks Behavior Biocoenoses Conclusion V. Psychological Time The Stream of Consciousness The Specious Present Time and the Transcendental Subject The Problem of the Transcendental Ego Soultion to the Problem VI. Historical Time Res Gestae The Idea of the Historical Past The Historical Process Structuralism and Deconstructionism VII. Dialectic in History Historical Thinking Transformation of Conceptual Schemes The Dialectical Scale Historical Objectivity The Historical Universal VIII. Evolution and Omega Evolution , Diachronic, and Synchronic The Features of Wholeness Differentiation and Process The Clue to "Omega" Omega and Time Omega and Deity "Mysticism" Notes Select Bibliography Index

About the Author :
"The Reality of Time is cogently thought out and clearly written. Once I started, I could not put it down. I regard this book as an eminently perceptive presentation of the import of time for all intellectual concerns. Demonstrating time's pervasive implications for basic questions of science, thought, and history, this book is also an exceptionally readable introduction to perennial questions of metaphysics as well. For a text obviously addressed not to specialists but to a generally literate audience, (the author) has done a masterful job." - Charles M. Sherover, Hunter College

Review :
"This is a substantial and well-written essay on a key topic in metaphysics, by a distinguished and seasoned metaphysician who is also a master of the scientific literature of recent decades. The writing is vigorous, concise, and clear, and the examples are aptly chosen and lucidly formulated. It is a book of unique distinction." - George L. Kline, Milton C. Nahm Professor of Philosophy, Bryn Mawr College "It is a beautiful piece of deep philosophical thinking, expressed with outstanding clarity and elegance. I like especially the rare combination of rich immersion in the facts of science with profound creative reflection and synthesis. This is truly a distinguished, even great work." - W. Norris Clarke, S. J., Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Fordham University "The Reality of Time is cogently thought out and clearly written. Once I started, I could not put it down. I regard this book as an eminently perceptive presentation of the import of time for all intellectual concerns. Demonstrating time's pervasive implications for basic questions of science, thought, and history, this book is also an exceptionally readable introduction to perennial questions of metaphysics as well. For a text obviously addressed not to specialists but to a generally literate audience, (the author) has done a masterful job." - Charles M. Sherover, Hunter College