I wonder whether time exists at all. I know you are a metaphysician writing something about time. Can you recommend any book or novel of yours to find the meaning of time for me? And why do you think time being real?

Dear Takaharu,

Thank you very much for your postcard. I think time is real, but I’m not sure whether it comes from the outside world, or inside us. My book (Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals) explores Kant’s idea that time is a human intuition, like morality. I think each of us has a private, personal spacetime.

My novel The Time of the Angels explores this idea. It shows how the processes of loving & hating take time, & how our relationships can change over time. In one passage, I compare a kiss to the rise of spring.

With best wishes, Iris