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the forecast that influences us, itself the result
of past perceptions and habits, and the future
as fact, contradistinguished from the mere
representation of it, does not influence us
in the least.” To which I reply, “My dear sir, you
say you agree with my remark, and
in my turn I fully assent to yours. The
future, as fact, naturally does not influence us;
because a fact, factum, is what has been is already
done; and the future is not a fact at all.
But that is not to say that it has no
reality, unless you are determined to shut
your eyes to every category but Secondness.
The future has a present, real being which consists
in the present certainty of its destined