Aftertime

Aftertime is a term used in philosophy, religion, and speculative fiction to refer to time that follows a defined event, condition, or state. It is not a standard scientific term but a conceptual one employed to discuss temporality beyond a threshold, such as death, catastrophe, or the end of a life or era.

Etymology and usage: The word is a compound of after and time, used primarily in English; appears in poetic and analytical contexts to characterize a horizon of duration that persists after an event has occurred.

Philosophical and religious contexts: In discussions of death or metaphysical theories, aftertime may denote a temporal dimension that continues or recurs beyond the ordinary flow of life. It is distinct from the afterlife, which concerns a spiritual or conscious state; aftertime emphasizes temporality more than ontology.

Literary and cultural uses: In speculative fiction, poetry, and essay, aftertime is used to evoke horizons of memory, consequence, and change that persist beyond a moment. It can explore how past events cast a long temporal shadow or how futures unfold in the wake of a catastrophe.

Criticism: Some scholars challenge the usefulness of the term, arguing that it blends metaphor with phenomenology without clear criteria; others use it to model layered or non-linear temporality.

See also: afterlife, eternity, time, chronology, temporality.