“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.

1. Presentism: the present is all that exists. Very Stoic — with a capital S.

2. Eternalism: past, present, and future all equally exist. Time is an illusion.

3. 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.