Many consider the apparent disappearance of time and change in quantum gravity the main metaphysical challenge since it seems to lead to a form of Parmenidean view according to which the physical world simply is, nothing changes, moves, becomes, happens. In this paper, I argue that the main metaphysical challenge of Rovelli’s philosophical view of loop quantum gravity is to lead exactly to the opposite view, namely, a form of Heraclitean view, or rather, of radical process metaphysics according to which there is becoming (process, change, event) but not being (substance, stasis, thing). However, this does not entail that time is real. Fundamentally, time does not exist. I show how Rovelli’s understanding of loop quantum gravity supports the view that there is change without time, so that the physical world can be timeless yet ever-changing. I conclude by arguing that it is such a process-oriented conception that constitutes the revolutionary metaphysical challenge and philosophical significance of loop quantum gravity, while the alleged Parmenidean view turns out to be nothing but the endpoint of a long-standing metaphysical orthodoxy.

许多人认为时间的明显消失和量子引力的变化是主要的形而上学挑战，因为它似乎导致了一种巴门尼德式的观点，根据这种观点，物理世界只是没有变化、移动、变成、发生。在本文中，我认为罗维利的圈量子引力哲学观点的主要形而上学挑战是导致完全相反的观点，即赫拉克利特观点的一种形式，或者更确切地说，激进过程形而上学的形式，根据这种形式，过程、变化、事件）但不是存在（物质、静止、事物）。然而，这并不意味着时间是真实的。从根本上说，时间是不存在的。我展示了 Rovelli 对圈量子引力的理解如何支持没有时间的变化的观点，因此物理世界可以是永恒的但不断变化的。