Praxeology VIII - Temporality
Praxeology VIII — Temporality, Irreversibility, and Uncertainty
By Dr. Antony P. Mueller | The International Mises Academy
What does it mean to act in time — and why is every action irreversible?
In this philosophical and praxeological deep dive, Dr. Antony P. Mueller guides students through the Austrian economic understanding of temporality, irreversibility, and the fundamental role of uncertainty in human life. This module invites you to confront time not as a physical measurement, but as a subjective and action-based reality. You will learn why the past is fixed, why the present is sovereign, and why the future is open — yet never guaranteed.
Through rigorous yet accessible exposition, this lecture challenges myths of perfection, revisits the concept of “happiness,” and explains why regret, error, and incomplete knowledge are not failures of action, but natural conditions of it.
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What You’ll Learn:
✅ Why human action is necessarily irreversible — and why no decision can truly be undone
✅ How past, present, and future are not physical points in time, but categories of action
✅ Why “repairing” a past event is an illusion — even correction is forward-looking
✅ What hypothetical causality teaches us about counterfactual thinking
✅ Why perfection is not the absence of mistakes, but the rational use of limited knowledge
✅ The role of changing intentions, individuality, and contextual decision-making
✅ Why lasting happiness is logically impossible for beings who act and choose
✅ How praxeology redefines the human pursuit of satisfaction in a temporal, uncertain world
“The past is fixed. The present is yours. The future is open — but uncertain.”
– Praxeology VIII
📘 Topics Include: • Irreversibility and Time • The Fallacy of Time Travel • The Actor’s Present: Decision and Sovereignty • The Myth of the “Undo Button” in Life • Action and Uncertainty • Striving vs. Satisfaction: A Praxeological View of Happiness • The Non-existence of Absolute Perfection 🎯 Who Should Take This Course: • Students of Austrian economics, philosophy, or libertarian theory • Entrepreneurs, economists, and thinkers interested in decision-making under uncertainty • Individuals reflecting on personal responsibility, time, and regret • Anyone seeking a deeper understanding of time, action, and the human condition 🧑🏫 Instructor: Dr. Antony P. Mueller 🏛 Hosted by: The International Mises Academy 🔗 www.misesinternational.org 📩 Contact: info@misesinternational.org “The past is fixed. The present is yours. The future is open — but uncertain.” – Praxeology VIII