presenceism

Presenceism is a philosophical concept that asserts the primary reality or significance of the present moment. It suggests that only what is currently existing or happening has true existence, and that the past and future are either non-existent or are only real in their present effects or manifestations. This perspective stands in contrast to various forms of temporalism, which acknowledge the reality of past and future events or entities.

In its strongest form, presenceism argues that past events are no longer real, and future events are not yet real. Therefore, any statements about the past or future are either false or are understood in terms of present conditions. For example, a presenceist might interpret the statement "Julius Caesar was assassinated" as being true in the present because of its present implications, such as historical records or current geographical locations. They would not assert that Caesar himself or the event of his assassination exist now in any direct sense. Similarly, statements about the future are understood as predictions based on present evidence, rather than references to existing future states of affairs.

Variations of presenceism exist, with some acknowledging a more nuanced relationship between the present and other temporal periods. However, the core idea remains the elevation of the present as the sole locus of reality. This viewpoint can have implications for various philosophical discussions, including metaphysics, the philosophy of time, and epistemology, influencing how we understand concepts like memory, causation, and prediction.