Skip to main content
Log in

Tense, propositions, and facts

  • S.I.: The Logic and Philosophy of A.N. Prior
  • Published:
Synthese Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper aims to clarify the connection between the logic of temporal distinctions and the temporal features of propositions. Contra Prior, it argues that the adoption of tense operators does not commit one to the view that propositions can change their truth value over time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armstrong, D. M. (1997). A world of states of affairs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brogaard, B. (2012). Transient truths: An essay in the metaphysics of propositions. New York: Oxford University Press. See also Meyer (2012).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cresswell, M. J. (1990). Entities and Indices. Dordrecht: Kluwer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, D. (1980). The logical form of action sentences. In D. Nicholas Rescher (Ed.), Essays on Actions and Events (pp. 105–122). Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Enç, M. (1987). Anchoring conditions for tense. Linguistic Inquiry, 18, 633–657.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fine, K. (2005). Tense and reality. In J. Almog, J. Perry, & H. Wettstein (Eds.), Modality and Tense (pp. 261–320). Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Higginbotham, J. (1999). Tense, indexicality, and consequence. In J. Butterfield (Ed.), The Arguments of Time (pp. 197–215). Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamp, H., & Reyle, U. (1993). From Discourse to Logic. Dordrecht: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, D. (1992). Critical notice of D. M. Armstrong, A combinatorial theory of possibility. Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 70, 211–224.

  • Lewis, D. (1998). Index, context, and content. In Papers in Philosophical Logic (pp. 21–44). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Meyer, U. (2009). Times in tense logic. Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic, 50, 201–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, U. (2012). Review of Berit Brogaard, Transient truths (Oxford, 2012). Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 12(09), 305–321.

  • Meyer, U. (2013). The Nature of Time. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Montague, R. (1974). Formal Philosophy. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogihara, T. (1996). Tense, Attitude, and Scope. Dordrecht: Kluwer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Pnueli, A. (1977). The temporal logic of programs. 18th Annual Symposium of Computer Science (pp. 46–57). New York: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

  • Prior, A. (1957). Time and Modality. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior, A. (1959). Thank goodness that’s over. Philosophy, 34, 12–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prior, A. (1967). Past, Present and Future. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Prior, A. (1968). Papers on Time and Tense. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior, A. (1976). The Doctrine of Propositions and Terms. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rescher, N., & Garson, J. (1968). Topological logic. Journal of Symbolic Logic, 33, 537–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rescher, N., & Urquhart, A. (1971). Temporal Logic. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Richard, M. (1981). Temporalism and eternalism. Philosophical Studies, 39, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, Q. (1994). General introduction. In N. Oaklander & Q. Smith (Eds.), The New Theory of Time (pp. 1–14). New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • von Wright, G. H. (1979). A modal logic of place. In E. Sosa (Ed.), The Philosophy of Nicholas Rescher (pp. 65–73). Dordrecht: Reidel.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the organizers and participants of the Arthur Prior Centenary Conference at Oxford for three days of stimulating discussions of tense logic. I also benefitted from the very helpful comments of an anonymous referee for Synthese.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulrich Meyer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Meyer, U. Tense, propositions, and facts. Synthese 193, 3691–3699 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-015-0910-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-015-0910-2

Keywords

Navigation