The Return of Time

The invention of world history depends on revelation. Through revelation the entire world becomes a sign. The condition of its becoming a sign is that it hides something that is not yet apparent. This hidden thing is expected to eventually become visible, but for now is still concealed. Thus the process of revelation and the process of time have not yet come to an end. It is essential for every sign to hint at something that will become present in the future. Signs mark future phenomena. In this sense, the world too is a sign. It is the sign of its own future, which at some time will be revealed. As sign, the world receives temporality, and hence direction and meaning.