WHat is this thing called Metaphysics?

by Garrett; Brian

• ISBN13: 9780415393928
• ISBN10: 0415393922
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-31
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Why is there something rather than nothing? Does god exist? Who am I? Metaphysics is concerned with ourselves and reality, and the most fundamental questions regarding existence. This clear and accessible introduction covers the central topics in Metaphysics in a concise but comprehensive way. Brian Garrett discusses the crucial concepts in a highly readable manner, easing the reader in with a look at paradoxes that aptly illustrate some important philosophical problems. He then goes on to address key areas of metaphysics: existence and modality causation God time universals personal Identity truth What is this thing called Metaphysics?contains many helpful student-friendly features. Each chapter concludes with a useful summary of the main ideas discussed, a glossary of important terms, study questions, annotated further reading, and a guide to web resources. Text-boxes provide bite-sized summaries of keyconcepts and major philosophers, and clear and interesting examples are used throughout. This is an ideal first textbook on Metaphysics for undergraduates taking a first course in philosophy.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Introduction	xiii
God	1	(18)
Introduction	2	(2)
The ontological argument	4	(3)
The cosmological argument	7	(4)
The teleological argument	11	(2)
The argument from evil	13	(3)
Concluding remarks	16	(3)
Existence	19	(16)
Introduction	21	(1)
The great sweep of being	22	(1)
Why does our world exist?	23	(2)
Modal realism assessed	25	(2)
Non-existent objects	27	(4)
What is existence?	31	(2)
Concluding remarks	33	(2)
Universals and particulars	35	(16)
Introduction	37	(1)
Property realism	38	(3)
Objections to traditional property realism	41	(1)
Russell's bundle theory	42	(1)
Varieties of nominalism	43	(5)
Concluding remarks	48	(3)
Causation	51	(18)
Introduction	53	(1)
Preliminary questions	54	(3)
The constitutive question: what is causation?	57	(1)
Hume	58	(3)
The regularity theory	61	(3)
The counterfactual theory	64	(1)
A simpler theory	65	(1)
Concluding remarks	66	(3)
Time: the fundamental issue	69	(16)
Introduction	71	(1)
Setting up the debate: A series and B series	72	(1)
The A series is fundamental to time	73	(2)
Russell's reply	75	(1)
McTaggart's paradox	76	(2)
Diagnosis	78	(3)
A theory or B theory?	81	(1)
Concluding remarks	82	(3)
Time: three puzzles	85	(16)
Introduction	87	(1)
Prior's puzzle	88	(2)
Time without change	90	(4)
Time travel	94	(5)
Concluding remarks	99	(2)
Free will	101	(18)
Introduction	103	(1)
Fatalism	104	(3)
A more sophisticated fatalist argument	107	(3)
Theological fatalism	110	(1)
Free will and determinism	111	(1)
The case for incompatibilism	112	(2)
A compatibilist reply	114	(1)
Is the notion of free will incoherent?	115	(1)
Concluding remarks	116	(3)
Personal identity	119	(18)
Introduction	121	(1)
Theories of personal identity	122	(1)
What is a person?	123	(2)
What is it for a person to persist?	125	(3)
The complex view defended	128	(3)
Does identity matter?	131	(1)
The simple view	132	(2)
Concluding remarks	134	(3)
Realism and anti-realism	137	(16)
Introduction	138	(2)
Delineating the realist/anti-realist dispute	140	(2)
Case study I: character	142	(2)
Case study II: the past	144	(2)
Anti-realism: motivation and assessment	146	(2)
Anti-realism disproved?	148	(2)
Concluding remarks	150	(3)
Glossary	153	(10)
Notes	163	(10)
Index	173