Duration and the Intervalic Imposition

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Apr 1, 2026 · 19m

Language philosopher Bry Willis proposes that duration is an original, unstructured reality, while measured time is merely a conceptual framework humans apply to make sense of experience. The author argues that our distinctions between past, present, and future are not inherent qualities of existence but are instead representational tools created through an intervallic imposition''. By segmenting a continuous flow into distinct units, we create a structured grid that allows for navigation and memory, yet this process inevitably leaves out the true nature of duration. The source further…