Wednesday, October 24, 2012

How Can You Know You're Present?

I've posted a new paper online: 'How Can You Know You're Present?'

Abstract:



Some argue that non-presentist A-theories face an epistemic objection: if they were true, then we could not know whether we are present.  I argue that the presentist is in no better an epistemic position than the non-presentist.  In §1 I introduce the sceptical puzzle: I look at two ways in which the non-presentist could claim that our experiences give us evidence for our presentness, but find each wanting.  In §2, I argue that the puzzle also faces the presentist, and that a number of potential solutions either fail or are equally available to the non-presentist.  I conclude by defending one solution to the puzzle.