In this module, you will study key philosophical issues relating to space and time. When it comes to the philosophy of space, the module will focus upon the longstanding debate between absolutists and relativists about space considering the key arguments on both sides of what has been an important philosophical debate from Early Modern times to the present day. The module will then examine how the modern theories of Special Relativity and General Relativity suggests that the distinction between space and time may be less sharp than it first appears. When it comes to time, the module will address questions concerning whether there are reasons to doubt the reality of time, debates about the nature of time (such as why time seems to ‘pass’ and have a ‘flow’), and what accounts for the direction of time will also be addressed.

Sample topics (may vary slightly year to year):

Absolutism & Relationalism about Space in Newtonian Physics
	Leibniz’s Arguments for Relationalism
	Newton’s & Kant’s Arguments for Absolutism
	Galilean Relativity
	Special Relativity
	General Relativity
	Is Time Real?
	Special Relativity & The Metaphysics of Time
	Time Travel
	The Direction of Time
Teaching Delivery

There will be one 2 hour seminar per week. You will be required to read a set of ‘Key Readings’ each week (normally 1-2 articles or equivalent) prior to the seminar. For undergraduates there will likely be an optional one-hour ‘backup’ seminar fortnightly (this depends on the number of enrolees, but there has always been one to date).

By the end of the module, you should:

Have a sound understanding of the central metaphysical debates concerning the nature of space and time.
	Have a sufficient understanding of the physics of space and time to grasp how this interacts with the metaphysics (though please note that no background in physics or maths is presumed).
	Be equipped with the understanding and conceptual resources needed to contribute to the philosophical debates about space and time yourself.
	Have further honed your ability to analyse arguments, and construct rigorous arguments yourself.
	Have improved your essay-writing skills.
Recommended Reading

In preparation for the module, we advise reading the following core texts. These can be found in the UCL Library:

Maudlin, T. (2012): Philosophy of Physics: Space and Time (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press)

Dainton, B. (2010): Time and Space, Second Edition (Abingdon: Routledge)

Philosophy Area A