atemporalism

Atemporalism is a philosophical view concerning the nature of time. It posits that time is not a real, flowing entity, but rather that all moments in time exist simultaneously and are equally real. This perspective contrasts with presentism, which holds that only the present moment is real, and the past and future are not. Atemporalism also differs from the view that the past and future are potential or less real than the present. Instead, from an atemporalist viewpoint, the entire timeline, from the beginning to the end of the universe, can be thought of as a static, four-dimensional block.

This block universe model suggests that events that have happened, are happening, and will happen are all part of a fixed reality. Our perception of time passing is seen as a subjective experience, an illusion arising from our consciousness moving through this pre-existing temporal landscape. Arguments for atemporalism often draw from physics, particularly relativity theory, which suggests that the distinction between past, present, and future is not absolute but depends on the observer's frame of reference. If time is not an objective, universal flow, then the idea that all moments are equally real becomes more plausible. The implications of atemporalism are significant, affecting concepts of free will, causality, and the nature of existence itself.