(Real) time: A philosophical perspective

Abstract

We present a perspective on the relationship between time and realtime. This perspective originates from a philosophical viewpoint concerning models of time that does not consider quantitative timing issues such as those relevant for real-time computing. This starting point is then adapted to incorporate real-time features. In doing so we try to combine the views on time and real-time forwarded by mathematical logic and by computer science. To illustrate these issues we use temporal logic, but many of the results presented are independent from a particular language and are also relevant for other (real) time formalisms.