C. D. Broad on Precognitions and John William Dunne
Journal of the history of philosophy January 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1353/hph.2025.a950466 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractC. D. Broad developed three different accounts of time over his career. The shift from his second to third account was instigated by his engagement with precognitive dreams and the thought of John William Dunne. Fully appreciating Broad's interest in psychical research and precognitions is required for understanding the theory of time he defended in the second volume of Examination of McTaggart's Philosophy. Interpreting that work in light of Broad's engagement with Dunne can help remove inconsistencies in his third account.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Philosophy Environmental ethics Geology |
| Citations | 21 |
| Key finding | Argues that Broad's third account of time was instigated by his engagement with precognitive dreams and John William Dunne, and that interpreting Broad's work in light of this can remove inconsistencies in his theory. |
Abstract
abstract: C. D. Broad developed three different accounts of time over the course of his career. Emily Thomas recently argued that the shift from the first to the second of these was motivated by his engagement with the philosophy of Samuel Alexander. In this paper, I argue that the shift from the second to the third was instigated by Broad’s engagement with precognitive dreams and with the thought of John William Dunne. Furthermore, I argue that fully appreciating Broad’s interest in psychical research in general, and precognitions in particular, is required for understanding the theory of time he defended in the second volume of Examination of McTaggart’s Philosophy . I also argue that interpreting Examination in light of Broad’s engagement with Dunne can help remove the inconsistencies in Broad’s third account.