“The present is just past the future.” - John Brady (dad)
My dad said this to me and my sister today. For me, it’s profound because of the implications for how time is perceived.
I’m not a philosopher — but my forming understanding is that there are many philosophies on time.
Presentism: the present is all that exists. Very Stoic — with a capital S.
Eternalism: past, present, and future all equally exist. Time is an illusion.
Process Philosophy: the present is a series of interconnected events rather than a static entity.
The hard sciences - math and physics - also boast a boat load of theories on time.
My dad seemed to hit at this time idea that the present is a dynamic state influenced by the future that transforms into the past.
Let’s say dad’s view has some legs. What might this mean?
That what you do now may correlate with a positive a future return at a future-present.
In other words - act now for tomorrow, hope for the best.
End Note
My dad lives with Alzheimer’s disease. A disease that impacts his ability to perceive time. Perhaps his disease gives us a perspective of time that we might benefit from a bit more.