SENIOR SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHY, PHIL 390

Phil 390: Senior Seminar for Majors in Philosophy

Topic: Metaphysics

Robert N. Johnson

DESCRIPTION	LINKS
TEXTS	REQUIREMENTS
SCHEDULE	FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS

Description and aims:

Metaphysics is the study of the constitution of reality, of what there is and how things are most generally speaking. This course will be a survey of contemporary metaphysics, covering realism and nominalism, substance and attribute, propositions and facts, necessity and possibility, and persistence through time. Metaphysics is a fitting topic for a capstone experience course, since it is as ancient as philosophy itself, and has always been fundamental to all areas of philosophical inquiry.

This course is designed to give some experience of genuine philosophical research as it is currently carried out in graduate programs. This also means that the course will be challenging. My hope is that it will also be equally rewarding. It is open only to philosophy majors who are in their senior year.

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Texts:

Michael J. Loux, Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction (Routlege, 1998; hereafter, "Loux")

D.H. Mellor & Alex Oliver, Properties (Oxford 1997; hereafter, "M & O")

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Requirements:

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS (by week)

I. Realism

Loux, pp. 1-50

II. Realism,

Quine, W.V.O., "On what there is", M&O pp. 74-88

III. Nominalism

Loux, pp. 52-89

IV. Nominalism

Frank Jackson, "Statements about Universals", M&O pp. 89-92

Michael Devitt, "'Ostrich Nominalism' or 'Mirage Realism'?" M&O pp. 93-100

David Armstrong, " Against Ostrich Nominalism: A Reply to Michael Devitt", M&O pp. 101-111

V. Concrete Particulars

Loux, pp. 92-129

VI. Concrete Particulars

D. C. Williams, "The Elements of Being, I", M&O, pp. 112-124

VII. Propositions, Facts, States of Affairs, Events

Loux, pp. 132-164

VIII. Propositions, Facts, States of Affairs, Events

Sydney Shoemaker, "Causality and Properties", M&O pp. 228-254

IX. Modality

Loux, pp. 166-200

X. Modality

Lewis, D. "Modal Realism at Work: Properties" M&O pp. 173-187

Lewis, D. "New Work for a Theory of Universals" M&O pp. 188-227

XI. Persistence

Loux, pp. 202-232

XII. Persistence

Keith Campbell, "The Metaphysics of Abstract Particulars", M&O, pp. 125-139

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LINKS

STANFORD METAPHYSICS LAB

BUFFALO ONTOLOGY SITE

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