ABSTRACT
One of the central topics of philosophy is metaphysics, where we investigate the fundamental nature of reality and related questions. One good way to begin to understand some of the central issues of metaphysics is to consider a topic that is interesting, wide-ranging and growing in popularity. So why time travel particularly? Well, there is an extensive (and fascinating) range of metaphysical issues centred on time: for example, questions concerning persistence and identity over time, the passage of time and even whether or not time actually exists. However, this chapter tackles a topic that might allow you to see how philosophers tackle an issue in metaphysics using logical analysis, and an issue that has plenty of potential for interaction with science, too: namely, the philosophy of time travel. It’s also the case that, odd as it sounds, where I might be hard put to it to offer a snappy, one-line definition of time itself, thanks to the work of American philosopher David Lewis (1941–2001), I can offer you a pretty snappy definition of time travel. (See below …)
