What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to explore the hypothesis that future moments lack ontological existence until they occur.

February 6, 2026Open Access

The Principle of the Uninhabited Future: A Hypothesis on the Ontological Asymmetry of Time

Key Points

This research aims to explore the hypothesis that future moments lack ontological existence until they occur.
Introduced the Principle of the Uninhabited Future as a conceptual framework.
Analyzed the implications of time's structure on the existence of future observers.
Critically examined common arguments about time travel from the future.
Identified that future moments do not exist until they are actualized.
Argued that future-originating time travelers cannot exist under this principle.
Provided a coherent framework that negates the need for technological or ethical barriers to time travel.

Abstract

This preprint introduces the Principle of the Uninhabited Future, a conceptual and ontological hypothesis concerning the structure of time. The principle proposes that future moments do not possess ontological existence prior to their actualization, while past and present moments do. As a consequence, the existence of observers or travelers originating from the future is considered impossible. The hypothesis offers a coherent explanation for the absence of future-originating time travelers without invoking technological, ethical, or causal prohibitions.

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Nikita Chikulaev

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The Principle of the Uninhabited Future: A Hypothesis on the Ontological Asymmetry of Time

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Abstract

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