In her book, Corfield argues that time possesses three interconnected dimensions that work in tandem: deep continuity (which provides a stable cosmic foundation), slow evolutionary momentum (enabling gradual change), and revolutionary turbulence (creating dramatic upheavals). These dimensions do not operate in isolation, but constantly interact to create the dynamic system that humans inhabit and experience.

The book is organised in three sections that progressively deepen our understanding of what Corfield calls ‘time-space’. Part One, ‘Walking on Earth’, explores how humans are fundamentally rooted in time, examining processes of growing, learning, remembering, and forgetting. Corfield demonstrates that all lives are intrinsically temporal, providing each person with a unique position in time-space that cannot be replicated or escaped. This temporal rootedness gives humans their sense of identity while simultaneously connecting them to all other beings who share this cosmic journey.

Corfield compellingly argues against Henry Ford’s dismissive claim that ‘history is bunk’, illustrating how human knowledge is built upon foundations laid in the past. She shows that even Ford’s own innovations, such as the motorcar, depended on earlier inventions like the wheel, which dates back five thousand years. The book emphasises that our collective human story provides vital information for addressing current challenges, and knowing where we’ve come from is essential for navigating where we’re going.

Part Two, ‘Scanning the Stars’, investigates the physics of time-space, incorporating Einstein’s relativity theory which showed that time and space form an absolute continuum. Corfield explains that the three temporal dimensions – continuity, evolution, and revolution – create the framework within which all cosmic events occur, from the steady unfolding of moments to sudden upheavals like supernovas or volcanic eruptions. The section also delves into quantum physics, revealing the seething sub-atomic world beneath the seemingly solid universe.

The book’s final section, ‘Mapping the Journey’, examines how humans track their collective story through time. Corfield addresses challenges to accurate knowledge, including deceptions, fakes, and factoids, while highlighting the importance of shared memory markers such as names, dates, and monuments. She gives particular attention to the challenges of overcoming hatreds and warfare, examining how societies develop mechanisms for containing violence and establishing international laws while also building cooperative networks that transcend national boundaries. This section culminates in Corfield’s vision for a ‘global civics’, which recognises that our shared residence on Planet Earth requires urgent collaborative action to address our biggest threats.

Particularly significant is Corfield’s rejection of time-denial philosophies. Some theorists have claimed that time is merely an illusion, but Corfield demonstrates that this perspective contradicts both scientific evidence and practical experience. If time didn’t exist in a continuous flow, humans couldn’t perform sequential actions like speaking in complete sentences or listening to music. Indeed, if time were dissolved into separate unconnected fragments, then human beings would be shattered into nothing but unconnected fragments too.

The book culminates with reflections on how understanding time-space can help humanity address current global challenges. Corfield argues that effective action on climate change requires both historical perspective and forward thinking, combined with global cooperation. Since all humans share one planetary home within the same time-space continuum, there are no escape hatches to other eras or to other planets. The only way forward is together, drawing on our collective understanding of the past to navigate a sustainable future.

Time-Space: We Are All in It Together offers a fresh perspective on how humans can best live within the dynamic, multidimensional reality of time-space – a journey we all share, despite our different positions within it.