Taite Nicholson
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Writing Eternalism: On Phenomenology and Literary Form
Philosophy, Literary Studies
Volume 9 | Issue IV | December 2025
Sage Hill School ’26
California, United States
I’ve never been able to choose between the emotional gravity of a novel, the artistry of a physics equation, or the magnetism of a philosophical theory. To me, the simultaneous application of these seemingly distant disciplines has always been vital to intellectual and ontological study. As a student deeply curious about the nature of the physical world and the ways creativity complements scientific reasoning, I found myself enchanted by the idea of using writing, a subject I know intimately, to explore intersections of literature, physics, and philosophy. This interest became unruly. Between forcing my dad to listen to Carlo Rovelli audiobooks on road trips and spending Friday nights dissecting grammatical structure, my appetite for philosophical science fiction and theoretical physics was insatiable. Inspired by 20th-century modernists such as Faulkner, Joyce, and Proust, writers who transformed literary form to reflect the fluidity of temporal consciousness, I discovered the concept of time, its structure, and experience, as a vantage point through which to explore my academic fascination. Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life” became the specimen for my study. I dissected syntax, language, and themes to understand how the theory of eternalism might be expressed through the written word. Engaging with phenomenology, abstract temporality, and literary style, I sought to show that the theoretical frameworks of science and philosophy can be understood through a humanistic, imaginative lens. This project expanded the architecture of my mind and reaffirmed my belief that the most profound questions demand an interdisciplinary approach. In the future, I intend to study the power of literature and writing across other disciplines to fully capture the human experience, both real and theoretical. Beyond research, I enjoy journalism, classic films, and adventurous travel. I’m honored to share this work through The Schola.