In contemporary metaphysics, temporal parts are the parts of an object that exist in time. A temporal part would be something like "the first year of a person's life", or "all of a table from between 10:00 a.m. on June 21, 1994 to 11:00 p.m. on July 23, 1996". The term is used in the debate over the persistence of material objects. Objects typically have parts that exist in space—a human body, for example, has spatial parts like hands, feet, and legs. Some metaphysicians believe objects have temporal parts as well.[1]
Originally it was argued that those who believe in temporal parts believe in perdurantism, that persisting objects are wholes composed entirely of temporal parts. This view was contrasted with endurantism, the claim that objects are wholly present at any one time (thus not having different temporal parts at different times).[1][2] This claim is still commonplace, but philosophers like Ted Sider believe that even endurantists should accept temporal parts.
- ^ a b Balashov, Yuri (2011). "Persistence". The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Time. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 13–40. ISBN 978-0-19-929820-4.
- ^ Effingham, Nikk (2012). "Endurantism and Perdurantism". The Continuum Companion to Metaphysics. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 170–197. ISBN 978-0-8264-4061-7.