Becoming
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Becoming | |
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| Type | Metaphysical concept |
| Field | Metaphysics; Philosophy of time |
| Core idea | Aspect of reality concerned with coming into being, change, and temporal passage |
| Assumptions | Temporal difference is meaningful; change involves more than static relations |
| Status | Contested |
| Related | Time; Change; Persistence; Temporal passage |
Becoming is a metaphysical concept concerned with the dynamic aspect of reality: the coming into being of states, events, or entities over time. To speak of becoming is to emphasize change, emergence, and temporal passage rather than static existence.
Becoming is central to debates in the philosophy of time and metaphysics about whether reality is fundamentally dynamic or static.
Core idea
At its core, becoming refers to the idea that reality is not merely a fixed collection of facts, but involves genuine change over time. Events occur, states come about, and possibilities are realized.
Becoming contrasts with views that treat time as a dimension in which all events equally exist.
Becoming and time
Becoming is closely linked to time. Accounts of becoming often emphasize the distinction between past, present, and future, treating the present as uniquely real or privileged.
Different conceptions of time imply different interpretations of becoming.
Dynamic and static views
A central debate concerns whether becoming is a fundamental feature of reality.
- Dynamic views hold that reality unfolds, with new events genuinely coming into existence.
- Static views deny fundamental becoming, treating all times as equally real.
This debate structures much of the philosophy of time.
Becoming and change
Becoming is related to change but not identical to it. Change can sometimes be described statically as differences between times, while becoming emphasizes the process by which those differences arise.
Some argue that becoming cannot be reduced to static descriptions.
Becoming and persistence
Questions of persistence intersect with becoming. If entities genuinely become different over time, accounts of persistence must explain how identity is maintained through becoming.
Different metaphysical frameworks answer this differently.
Temporal passage
Becoming is often associated with temporal passage, the idea that time flows or advances. Proponents argue that passage is a real feature of the world, not merely of experience.
Opponents argue that passage is illusory or representational.
Becoming and experience
Human experience strongly suggests becoming. The sense of “now,” anticipation, and memory all present the world as unfolding.
Philosophers debate whether this experiential aspect reflects objective reality or cognitive structure.
Becoming in science
Scientific descriptions of the world often employ time-indexed states and dynamical laws. Whether these descriptions commit science to metaphysical becoming is debated.
Some argue that science is neutral on becoming, while others see implicit commitments.
Objections to becoming
Critics argue that becoming introduces metaphysical difficulties, such as explaining the privileged status of the present or reconciling becoming with physical theories.
These objections motivate static or tenseless accounts of time.
Varieties of becoming
Not all accounts of becoming are the same. Some posit a moving present, others emphasize emergence or novelty, and still others treat becoming as irreducible process.
These variants differ in strength and metaphysical commitment.
Limits and disagreement
There is no consensus on whether becoming is real, reducible, or illusory. Disagreement persists over how to reconcile becoming with physics, logic, and ontology.
These disputes reflect deeper views about time and reality.
Status
Becoming is a central but contested concept in metaphysics. Its analysis clarifies how change, time, and existence are related and whether reality should be understood as dynamic or static.