Research: Theoretical Context: John McTaggart

"The Unreality Of Time"
As a point of theoretical study I have been looking at McTaggart's early work on time. I feel as though time is a concept in which i firstly looked at as being so very straight forward and simple, just because it is something in our lives which is always there, no matter how you spend it. You can't really choose to avoid time, as its presented to you everywhere (on your wrist in the form of a watch, on your phone as a digital display, in your home in the form of a clock) And it seems to be the center point in which everything rotates around and based on. It can be looked at in so many ways. McTaggart's ideologies explore and argue that time is simply unreal, based on the idea that our descriptions on time are either contradictory,  circular or insignificant. He divides his theory into two main descriptions of time, in which he calls the 'A-series' and the 'B-series'. 
The 'A-series' identifies positions in time in PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE. Yet, calls these positions contradictory, as each of those properties within each position excludes the other two, and when coming to describes these events later on, making them ultimately circular. 
"...the series of positions running from the far past through the near past to the present, and then from the present to the near future and the far future..."
The 'B-series' identifies as time involving CHANGE, but because earlier-later relationships never change the B-series must be an inadequate account of time.
"The series of positions which runs from earlier to later..."
With both of these theories in mind, there is also a third idea which McTaggart includes, which is predictably called
The 'C-Series'. This idea involves NO CHANGE, repelling the other two theories. It goes on the grounds of simply being forever FIXED, yes does not determine the direction of time. 
"Events have an order. They are, let us say, in the order M, N, O, P. And they are therefore not in the order M, O, N, P, or O, N, M, P, or in any other possible order. But that they have this order no more implies that there is any change than the order of the letters of the alphabet..."


As interesting as these theories are, they are far from proven. Time can be perceived differently by everyone, and have different meaning to everyone. I personally see time as being a mixture of these theories, despite McTaggart suggesting they can not all run coherently. From the start of my project i have been looking at change and stasis, within time. I believe time causes change, (particularly naturally) but change is also  apparent through choices made by a person and the path they choose to go down. On top of this i do believe nature and nurture will hugely effect your well being and will generally sculpt you as a the person you are physically (to some extent) and mentally within. Despite my argument against agreeing with just one theory, time could simply just be an illusion, therefor having no genuine ontological status.I want to intertwine temporality with time and the state of isolation within the culture of todays society within England. The more i look around as a spectator, the more i see isolation and particularly alienation. 


Gerald Rochelle, 1998, "Killing time without injuring eternity — McTaggart's C series," Idealistic Studies 28(3): 159-69.

Craig Callender, 2002, “Time, Reality and experience” London: Cambridge University Press