Contemporary Readings in the Foundations of Metaphysics
Published on 3. August 1998
Book
Hardback
480 pages
978-0-631-20171-7 (ISBN)
Description
This volume is a comprehensive survey of contemporary thought on a wide range of issues and provides students with the basic background to current debates in metaphysics.
Reviews / Votes
"This is a superb collection of seminal papers on fundamental matters in metaphysics: ontological commitment, possibilia, universals, substance, events, tropes, and mathematical objects. The pedagogical value of the volume is enhanced by state-of-the-art essays by leading philosophers in the field." Brian McLaughlin, Rutgers UniversityMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Hoboken
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 39 mm
Weight
934 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-631-20171-7 (9780631201717)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Stephen Laurence is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, England and is co-editor with Eric Margolis of Concepts: Core Readings (1998).
Cynthia Macdonald is Professor at the University of Canterbury at Christchurch, New Zealand. She is co-author with Graham Macdonald of Philosophy of Psychology (Blackwell Publishers, 1995) and Connectionism (Blackwell Publishers, 1995).
Cynthia Macdonald is Professor at the University of Canterbury at Christchurch, New Zealand. She is co-author with Graham Macdonald of Philosophy of Psychology (Blackwell Publishers, 1995) and Connectionism (Blackwell Publishers, 1995).
Content
List of Contributors for State of the Art Essays. Acknowledgements.
Introduction: Metaphysics and Ontology: Stephen Laurence and Cynthia MacDonald.
Part I: Methodology and Ontological Commitment: .
State of the Art Essay.
1. The Nature of Metaphysics: Peter van Inwagen.
Readings.
2. Descriptive and Revisionary Metaphysics: Susan Haack.
3. On What There Is: W. V. O. Quine.
4. Ontological Commitments: William P. Alston.
5. Quantifiers: Susan Haack.
6. Identity and Substitutivity: Richard Cartwright.
Part II: Possible Worlds and Possibilia:.
State of the Art Essay.
7. Possible Worlds and Possibilia: William G. Lycan.
Readings.
8. Possible Worlds: David Lewis.
9. Possible Worlds: Robert Stalnaker.
10. Ways Worlds Could Be: Peter Forrest.
Part III: Universals and Properties: .
State of the Art Essay.
11. Universals and Properties: George Bealer.
Readings.
12. On Properties: Hilary Putnam.
13. New Work for a Theory of Universals: David Lewis.
15. A Theory of Structural Universals: John Bigelow and Robert Pargetter.
Part IV: Substances:.
State of the Art Essay.
16. Beyond Substrata and Bundles: A Prolegomenon to a Substance Ontology: Michael J. Loux.
Readings.
17. Bare Particulars: Edwin B. Allaire.
18. Particulars Re-Clothed: V. C. Chappell.
19. Another Look at Bare Particulars: Edwin B. Allaire.
20. Three Versions of the Bundle Theory: James Van Cleve.
Part V: Events:.
State of the Art Essay.
21. Ontologies of Events: Lawrence Brian Lombard.
Readings.
22. The Individuation of Events: Donald Devidson.
23. Events as Property Exemplifications: Jaegwon Kim.
Part VI: Tropes:.
State of the Art Essay.
24. Tropes and Other Things: Cynthia Macdonald.
Readings.
25. The Metaphysic of Abstract Particulars: Keith Campbell.
26. Particulars in Particular Clothing: Three Trope Theories of Substance: Peter Simmons.
Part VII: Mathematical Objects:.
State of the Art Essay.
27. Mathematical Objectivity and Mathematical objects: Hartry Field.
Readings.
28. Philosophy of Logic: Hilary Putnam.
29. What Numbers Could Not Be: Paul Benacerraf.
Index.
Introduction: Metaphysics and Ontology: Stephen Laurence and Cynthia MacDonald.
Part I: Methodology and Ontological Commitment: .
State of the Art Essay.
1. The Nature of Metaphysics: Peter van Inwagen.
Readings.
2. Descriptive and Revisionary Metaphysics: Susan Haack.
3. On What There Is: W. V. O. Quine.
4. Ontological Commitments: William P. Alston.
5. Quantifiers: Susan Haack.
6. Identity and Substitutivity: Richard Cartwright.
Part II: Possible Worlds and Possibilia:.
State of the Art Essay.
7. Possible Worlds and Possibilia: William G. Lycan.
Readings.
8. Possible Worlds: David Lewis.
9. Possible Worlds: Robert Stalnaker.
10. Ways Worlds Could Be: Peter Forrest.
Part III: Universals and Properties: .
State of the Art Essay.
11. Universals and Properties: George Bealer.
Readings.
12. On Properties: Hilary Putnam.
13. New Work for a Theory of Universals: David Lewis.
15. A Theory of Structural Universals: John Bigelow and Robert Pargetter.
Part IV: Substances:.
State of the Art Essay.
16. Beyond Substrata and Bundles: A Prolegomenon to a Substance Ontology: Michael J. Loux.
Readings.
17. Bare Particulars: Edwin B. Allaire.
18. Particulars Re-Clothed: V. C. Chappell.
19. Another Look at Bare Particulars: Edwin B. Allaire.
20. Three Versions of the Bundle Theory: James Van Cleve.
Part V: Events:.
State of the Art Essay.
21. Ontologies of Events: Lawrence Brian Lombard.
Readings.
22. The Individuation of Events: Donald Devidson.
23. Events as Property Exemplifications: Jaegwon Kim.
Part VI: Tropes:.
State of the Art Essay.
24. Tropes and Other Things: Cynthia Macdonald.
Readings.
25. The Metaphysic of Abstract Particulars: Keith Campbell.
26. Particulars in Particular Clothing: Three Trope Theories of Substance: Peter Simmons.
Part VII: Mathematical Objects:.
State of the Art Essay.
27. Mathematical Objectivity and Mathematical objects: Hartry Field.
Readings.
28. Philosophy of Logic: Hilary Putnam.
29. What Numbers Could Not Be: Paul Benacerraf.
Index.