Detail from Adams Synchronological Chart of Universal History created by Sebastian C Adams in 1881. This timeline is a visual representation of world history, spanning from 4004 BCE to 1881 CE. Courtesy the David Rumsey Map Collection In the 19th century, the linear idea of time became dominant – with profound implications for how we experience the world By Emily Thomas is professor of philosophy at Durham University, UK. Her scholarly books include Absolute Time: Rifts in Early Modern British Metaphysics (2018), Victoria Welby (2023) and Real Time: A Reinvention in British Metaphysics 1883-1928 (forthcoming). She has also written a trade book, The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad (2020). ‘It’s natural,’ … Continue reading The shape of time