An Essay on Metaphysics

by Collingwood, R. G.; Martin, Rex

• ISBN13: 9780199241415
• ISBN10: 0199241414
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-05-02
• Publisher: Clarendon Press

Summary

An Essay on Metaphysics is one of the finest works of the great Oxford philosopher, historian, and archaeologist R. G. Collingwood (1889-1943). First published in 1940, it is a broad-ranging work in which Collingwood considers the nature of philosophy, especially of metaphysics. He putsforward his well-known doctrine of absolute presuppositions, expounds a logic of question and answer, and gives an original and influential account of causation. The book has been widely read and much discussed ever since.In this new edition the complete original text is accompanied by three previously unpublished essays by Collingwood which will be essential reading for any serious student of his thought: 'The Nature of Metaphysical Study' (1934), 'Function of Metaphysics in Civilization' (1938), and 'Notes for anEssay on Logic' (1939). These fascinating writings illuminate and amplify the ideas of the Essay, to which they are closely related. The distinguished philosopher and Collingwood scholar Rex Martin has established authoritative versions of these new texts, added a short set of notes on the Essay,and contributed a substantial introduction explaining the story of the composition of all these works, discussing their major themes, and setting them in the context of Collingwood's philosophy as a whole.

Author Biography

R. G. Collingwood was Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at the University of Oxford from 1935 to 1941.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	xiii
Editor's Introduction	xv
Select Bibliography	xcvi
Author's Dedication and Preface	ciii
An Essay on Metaphysics	1	(2)
Part I: METAPHYSICS
Aristotle's Metaphysics	3	(8)
No Science of Pure Being	11	(6)
Metaphysics without Ontology	17	(4)
On Presupposing	21	(13)
The Science of Absolute Presuppositions	34	(15)
Metaphysics an Historical Science	49	(9)
The Reform of Metaphysics	58	(23)
Part II: ANTI-METAPHYSICS
What Anti-Metaphysics Is	81	(20)
Psychology as Anti-Metaphysics	101	(5)
Psychology as the Science of Feeling	106	(6)
Psychology as the Pseudo-Science of Thought	112	(10)
A Pseudo-Science refutes itself	122	(11)
The Propaganda of Irrationalism	133	(10)
Positivistic Metaphysics	143	(12)
A Positivistic Misinterpretation of plato	155	(7)
Suicide of Positivistic Metaphysics	162	(10)
The Son of the Child	172	(13)
Part III: EXAMPLES
Part IIIA: The Existence Of God
The Proposition `God Exists'	185	(6)
Religion and Natural Science in Primitive Society	191	(10)
Polytheistic and Monotheistic Science	201	(12)
Quicunque Vult	213	(18)
Part IIIB: THE METAPHYSICS OF KANT
Kant's Problem and the Problem of To-day	231	(6)
Metaphysics and Critical Philosophy	237	(6)
Metaphysics as Transcendental Analytics	243	(5)
Axioms of Intuition	248	(10)
Anticipations of Perception	258	(4)
Analogies of Experience	262	(11)
Postulates of Empirical Thought	273	(12)
Part IIIc: CAUSATION
Three Senses of the Word `Cause'	285	(5)
Causation in History	290	(6)
Causation in Practical Natural Science	296	(17)
Causation in Theoretical Natural Science	313	(15)
Causation in Kantian Philosophy	328	(10)
Epilogue	338	(6)
Endnotes	344	(12)
The Nature of Metaphysical Study (1934)	356	(23)
Function of Metaphysics in Civilization (1938)	379	(43)
Notes For an Essay on Logic 1939)	422	(7)
Index	429