Exdurantism

Exdurantism is a philosophical position in the metaphysics of time that addresses how objects and persons persist through time. It is typically presented as an alternative to endurantism, which holds that objects are wholly present at each moment, and perdurantism, which treats objects as extended across time by successive temporal parts. Exdurantism proposes that persistence arises from networks of relations among discrete exdurational stages rather than from intrinsic continual presence or from a four-dimensional time worm.

According to exdurantism, an object at a given time is a node within a sequence of stages, each possessing its own properties and capable of interacting with neighboring stages through causal, functional, or contextual links. Identity over time is thus constituted by a stable pattern of external connections across stages, rather than by a single, unchanging essence or by a seamless temporal extension.

Variants of exdurantism distinguish between strong and weak forms. Strong exdurantism emphasizes tight coupling and coherence among all stages, while weak exdurantism allows looser, more context-dependent connections. The framework has implications for discussions of memory, personal identity, and responsibility, since continuity is explained relationally rather than by intrinsic sameness.

Critics raise questions about the coherence of stage boundaries, the ontological cost of positing numerous relational ties, and compatibility with established physical theories of time and causality. Proponents argue that exdurantism offers a parsimonious account of persistence in cases where continuous intrinsic sameness seems problematic and that relational continuity captures intuitive cases of change without requiring perpetual inner sameness.

Exdurantism remains a niche view within contemporary philosophy of time, discussed mainly in the context of debates about persistence, identity, and the nature of temporal relations.