ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the argument for the unreality of time is very reasonably regarded as the result of McTaggart's attempt to reconcile the idea of Reality as Absolute, with the idea of Reality as Temporal. McTaggart's analysis of the appearance of time in terms of the A and B series is widely accepted as valid and true, even by his most devout critics. The debate about McTaggart's Paradox can be divided into a number of phases. The argument for the unreality of time is very reasonably regarded as the result of McTaggart's attempt to reconcile the idea of Reality as Absolute, with the idea of Reality as Temporal. A contradiction emerges only if one accepts the Hegelian characterisation of an Absolute Realityor at least some of the metaphysical premises on which that characterisation is founded and nevertheless tries to construe a concept of such a reality as also being Temporal.
