Emanuele Severino: On The Presence of Absent Things

Was there ever a time this essay didn’t exist?

Photo by Felix Mittermeier from Pexels

Is the past still present? In memory, yes, at least to some extent (possibly a very small one), but beyond that, does it still literally exist? Most people would say no. Even in spiritual circles it is common to hear that only the present exists and the past and future are mere ideas.