Philosophers as well as psychologists, physiologists and psychiatrists have long been interested in temporal duration (temporality). This article presents an overview, the purpose of which is to demonstrate the value of philosophical ideas about the nature of time in relation to neurophysiology, neuropsychology and psychiatry. It consists of four parts. The fi rst sets out the views of W. James and E. Husserl on anticipation. The second part deals with a still unpublished article by the famous French neurophysiologist P. Buser, and is devoted to physiological mechanisms of anticipating movements