Broad's views about time

Abstract

C. D. Broad’s philosophical treatment of time evolved through three distinct phases, transitioning from a static “block universe” model to an ontology of “absolute becoming.” The initial approach utilizes a timeless copula to reduce tensed statements to fixed temporal relations, suggesting that past, present, and future events exist with equal ontological status. This view subsequently shifts toward a “growing block” theory, where the past and present are real but the future remains non-existent, with the sum total of existence expanding as events happen. The final stage of this progression emphasizes the ineliminability of tensed language and the unique status of the “transitory aspect” of time, though it continues to grapple with the paradoxes of event-particles and the phenomenology of change. Throughout these iterations, the reliance on spatial metaphors—such as moving spotlights or growing lines—often introduces a risk of infinite regresses in temporal dimensions. The persistent tension between the formal requirements of logical quantification and the reality of temporal passage suggests that reductions of tensed verbs to tenseless relations fail to provide a complete analysis of temporal facts. Ultimately, the development of these theories highlights the fundamental difficulty in reconciling the objective measurement of time with the subjective experience of its flow. – AI-generated abstract.