Time, Spacetime and F-Theory

This Chapter explores the philosophical and ontological implications of F-theory, a non-perturbative extension of Type IIB string theory, mainly focusing on the apparent existence of two temporal dimensions. The paper proposes an interpretation that advocates for a single temporal dimension grounded in a brane-based ontology, challenging the conventional understanding of time and spacetime in F-theory. Moreover, it discusses the implications of a brane-based ontology for spacetime emergence, providing a novel understanding of the relations between spatiotemporal and non-spatiotemporal structures.