Four-dimensional theories of persistence through time

Authors

  • Bogdan V. Faul The Institute of Philosophy, Saint-Petersburg State University (Russia)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21146/2072-0726-2020-13-2-185-199

Keywords:

endurantism, perdurantism, exdurantism, stage theory, worm theory, counterpart relation, personal identity, philosophy of time

Abstract

A specification of the conditions on diachronic identity presupposes that objects can per­sist through time. However, this presupposition is controversial. In contemporary litera­ture, there are two kinds of theories of persistence: three-dimensional theories and four-dimensional theories. The goal of this article is to analyze contemporary four-dimen­sional theories of persistence through time and to explicate the general structure of the current discussion of this matter. Firstly, the author compares three-dimensional and four-dimensional theories. Next, he analyzes the way four-dimensional theories solve the para­doxes of coincidence, among which is the fission problem. In the end, the author dis­cusses some contemporary objections to four-dimensionlism.

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Published

2020-05-19

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2020)

Section

ACADEMIC DISCUSSIONS

How to Cite

[1]
2020. Four-dimensional theories of persistence through time. Filosofskii zhurnal | Philosophy Journal. 13, 2 (May 2020), 185–199. DOI:https://doi.org/10.21146/2072-0726-2020-13-2-185-199.