Suppose everything was whiped out of existence. Absolutely everything.
Would that mean nothing ever happened?
Yes, because ‘everything’ must include the past.
Even the act which whiped everything out never happened.
deleted
Thats a really good point.
Its interesting because, when we say it is a fact that something occurred, we are saying it is a PRESENT fact. It is a fact NOW that such and such happened THEN. We could just as well say, that right now, such and such is occurring in the past.
Another possibility; It WAS a fact that such and such happened, but isn’t a fact NOW. After all, why should past facts, carry their factuality into the present moment if they do not exist in the present moment?
deleted
yes