futureorpresent

Futureorpresent is a neologism used in discussions of the philosophy of time to describe a position that gives a distinctive status to both future and present states, sitting between traditional presentism and eternalism. In this view, certain aspects of the future are taken to have a form of realism or relevance that is not limited to mere expectation or prediction, while the present retains its own immediate ontological weight. The term is often invoked to capture intuitions about how time unfolds and how decisions, causation, and becoming are experienced.

Etymologically, the term combines the words future and present to signal a hybrid stance. It is typically presented as a family resemblance position rather than a single, fully formal theory. Proponents may appeal to the practical role of the future in guiding actions, the way future consequences influence present choices, or the idea that some future states play a role in constituting the present moment. The concept is sometimes discussed in relation to, but distinct from, growing block theories and modal approaches that treat potentialities and actualities differently.

Implications of futureorpresent touch on debates about free will, determinism, and the nature of temporal passage. Critics argue that without a precise articulation, the notion risks ambiguity about what counts as “real” future states and how they interact with the present. As a coined term, its usefulness rests on how clearly it can be developed into a coherent theory or model.

See also: philosophy of time; presentism; eternalism; growing block universe.