Time and Experience

by Peter K. Mcinerney

This book is the only contemporary, systematic study of the relationship of time and conscious experience. Peter K. Mclnerney examines three tightly interconnected how we are able to be conscious of time and temporal entities, whether time exists independently of conscious experience, and whether the conscious experiencer exists in time in the same way that ordinary natural objects are thought to exist in time. Insight is drawn from the views of major phenomenological and existential thinkers on these issues. Building on a detailed explication and critique of the views of Kant, Husserl, Heidegger, and Sartre, Mclnerney develops and defends his own positions. He argues that a revised version of Husserl’s three-feature theory of time-consciousness provides the best explanation of our awareness of temporal features, but that an independently real time is necessary to explain our experience of temporal passage. He also shows that human existence has some special temporal features in addition to those it shares with other entities. Time-consciousness, the conscious exercise of powers, and personal identity through time require that any temporal part of human existence be defined by and "reach across" to earlier and later parts.

Genres: Philosophy

283 pages, Hardcover

First published February 8, 1991

Reviews

[Kamakana · Rating 3 out of 5]

100911: no, actually this is not finished: i give it a 3 for what i have read. i think i understood kant, husserl, and even heidegger a bit- but definitely lost myself in sartre, which makes me think i did not really understand the previous. i need a prof to explain, to help, to judge, sartre et al. it was engaging to read, despite incomplete. i have decided to move on to other authors, other books, whether phil or fiction.

i have also decided to list 13 favorite books by women, fiction. i have read enough i should be able to think of this few easily, so in no order:

1) Left Hand of Darkness by Le Guin
2) Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood
3) Memoirs of Hadrian by Yourcenar
4) All men are mortal by de Beauvoir
5) Hotel du Lac by Brookner
6) Open Secrets by Munro
7) Parable of the Sower by Butler
8) Beloved by Morrison
9) Primeval and Other Times by Tokarczuk
10) Snow Queen, The by Vinge
11) Bel Canto by Patchett
12) Piano Teacher, The by Jelinek
13) All She Was Worth by Miyabe

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author is probably the best person out there for an introduction to these issues; he sets them up very well and gives students a path to their core issues. He does not, however, encourage movement down that path, nor will he give direction or point the way. So, it's sophomore level, but nothing beyond that.