C-Theory and the Epistemology of Mathematics: Explanations and Time Symmetry

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the possibility of a conditional symmetry in temporal ordering which pertains to the epistemology of mathematics. In short, I will try to provide the groundwork for analyzing one form of symmetrical temporality (from the perspective of an epistemic agent) by embracing C-theory and non-causal time reversal. It will be argued that, in addition to the general account of time, which is tightly aligned with temporal ordering and seemingly asymmetric, there could possibly exist another form of temporality which is manifested in the so-called epistemic temporal symmetry. This symmetry relies only on the C-series, does not violate causal symmetry, and applies exclusively to the mathematical epistemic domain. In order to adequately describe epistemic time symmetry in mathematics, I will present some examples of mathematical explanations in which this supposed symmetry can be found.