I wonder whether time exists at all. I know you are a metaphysician writing something about time. Can you recommend any book or novel of yours to find the meaning of time for me? And why do you think time being real?

Philosopher's reply

Dear Takaharu,

Thank you very much for your postcard. I think time is real, but I’m not sure whether it comes from the outside world, or inside us. My book (Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals) explores Kant’s idea that time is a human intuition, like morality. I think each of us has a private, personal spacetime.

My novel The Time of the Angels explores this idea. It shows how the processes of loving & hating take time, & how our relationships can change over time. In one passage, I compare a kiss to the rise of spring.

With best wishes, Iris

Philosopher's profile

Emily Thomas

Durham University, UK
Website

"“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.”

Murdoch makes us look twice at everything - people, the planet, and flowers."

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