Course Materials 2014-15

General Reading

The following collections of articles each contain material relevant to the course. The first is particularly highly recommended:

J. Kim, D. Z. Korman, and E. Sosa. (2012), Metaphysics: An Anthology. London, Blackwell.
M. J. Loux, (2008). Metaphysics: Contemporary Readings (2nd ed.). London, Routledge.
P. Van Inwagen and D. Zimmerman, (2008), Metaphysics: The Big Questions. Oxford, Blackwell.

The following introductory texts are also helpful:

J. Tallant, (2011), Metaphysics: An Introduction. London, Continuum.
N. Effingham, (2013), An Introduction to Ontology. Cambridge, Polity.
M. Rea (2014), Metaphysics: The Basics. London, Routledge.
M.J. Loux (2006), Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction, 3rd ed. London, Routledge.
E. J. Lowe, (2002), A Survey of Metaphysics. Oxford, O.U.P.

Brief revision notes

Assessment

Unassessed and Assessed Essay Topics and Reading Lists

Lecture Schedule

Further readings will be provided with the unassessed and assessed essay titles, and in weekly lecture material.

Week 1

What is metaphysics?

Essential Reading:

M. Rea, (2014), Metaphysics: The Basics. London, Routledge. Introduction.
W. V. Quine (1948), "On What There Is". Review of Metaphysics. 2: 21-38. Reprinted in Kim, Korman and Sosa.
R. Carnap, (1956), "Empiricism, Semantics and Ontology", in Carnap, Meaning and Necessity. Chicago, Chicago University Press. Reprinted in Kim, Korman and Sosa.

Further Reading:

J. Schaffer (2009), "On What Grounds What" in D. Chalmers, D. Manley and R. Wasserman, Metametaphysics. Oxford, O.U.P. Reprinted in Kim, Korman and Sosa. Influential statement of the view that metaphysics is the study of what's fundamental.
P. van Inwagen (2009), "Being, Existence and Ontological Commitment" in D. Chalmers, D. Manley and R. Wasserman, Metametaphysics. Oxford. O.U.P. Reprinted in Van Inwagen (2014), Existence: Essays in Ontology. Oxford, O.U.P. A thorough (and demanding) explanation of Quine's views about ontology and the existential quantifier. See, in particular, sections 3 and 4.

Week 1. Notes

Week 1. Slides

For the Week 1 seminar, please read the Quine and Carnap papers linked above.

Week 2

Abstract Entities

Essential Reading:

E. J. Lowe, (2002), A Survey of Metaphysics. Oxford, O.U.P. (pp.370-77)
C. Swoyer (2008), "Abstract Objects". In T. Sider, J. Hawthorne and D. Zimmerman, (eds.) Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics. Oxford, Blackwell.
C. Dorr, (2008), "There are no Abstract Objects". In T. Sider, J. Hawthorne and D. Zimmerman, (eds.) Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics. Oxford, Blackwell.

Week 2. Notes

Week 2. Slides

For the seminar on Week 2 material (which will be held on Thursday week 3) please read C. Swoyer (2008), 'Abstract Objects' (link above).

Week 3

Properties

Essential Reading:

J. Tallant, (2011), Metaphysics: An Introduction. (London, Continuum). Chapter 5.
Russell, B. (1912), The Problems of Philosophy. Oxford, O.U.P. 88-100. Reprinted in Van Inwagen and Zimmerman, (eds.). Metaphysics: The Big Questions. 3rd ed. Link to 'Project Gutenberg' version. (NB: Please provide page references, if quoting, to the proper published version).
D. M. Armstrong, (1989), “Universals as Attributes”, in D. M. Armstrong, Universals: An Opinionated Introduction. Ch. 5. Reprinted in Kim, Korman and Sosa (eds.) and in Van Inwagen and Zimmerman (eds.).

Further Reading:

D. C. Williams, (1953), "On the Elements of Being I". Review of Metaphysics, 7: 3-18. Reprinted in Van Inwagen and Zimmerman, (eds.). Metaphysics: The Big Questions.
D. Lewis, (1983), "New Work for a Theory of Universals", Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 61/4: 343-77.

Week 3. Notes

Week 3. Slides

Seminar Reading:

D.M. Armstrong, (1989), "Universals as Attributes", ch. 5 of D. M. Armstrong, Universals: An Opinionated Introduction. (Link to text above).

Week 4

Substance, Bundles and Substrata

Essential Reading:

M. J. Loux (2006), Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction. London, Routledge. Chapter 3.
M. Black, (1952), “The Identity of Indiscernibles”, Mind, 6, 153- 64. Reprinted in Loux (ed.) Metaphysics, Contemporary Readings. London, Routledge.
E. Allaire, (1963), “Bare Particulars”. Philosophical Studies, 14, 1/2. Reprinted in Loux (ed.) Metaphysics, Contemporary Readings. London, Routledge.
J. Van Cleve, (1985). “A Third Version of the Bundle Theory”. Philosophical Studies, 47, No.1. Reprinted in Loux (ed.) Metaphysics, Contemporary Readings. London, Routledge.

Week 4. Notes

Week 4. Slides

Seminar Reading:

M. Black (1952), The Identity of Indiscernibles, Mind, 6, 153- 64.

Week 5

Problems of Constitution

Essential Reading:

Introductory M. Rea (2014), Metaphysics: The Basics. London, Routledge. (pp.102-111).
N. Effingham, (2013), An Introduction to Ontology. Cambridge, Polity. Chapter 9.
D. Wiggins, (1968), “On Being in the Same Place at the Same Time”, The Philosophical Review, 77; 90-95.
M. Burke, (1997), “Preserving the Principle of One Object to a Place: A Novel Account of the Relations Among Objects, Sorts, Sortals, and Persistence Conditions.” In M. Rea (ed.) Material Constitution: A Reader. Lanham, Rowman and Littlefield.

Seminar Reading:

T. Sider (2001), Four-dimensionalism. (Oxford, O.U.P.). Chapter 5. "In Favour of Four-dimensionalism 2: The Best Unified Treatment of the Paradoxes of Coincidence" (This is a long chapter. It contains interesting criticisms of a number of the purported solutions to the problem of material constitution and Sider's own 'four-dimensionalist' solution.)

Further Reading:

M. Burke (1992), "Copper Statues and Pieces of Copper: A Challenge to the Standard Account", Analysis, 52: 12- 17.

E.J. Lowe (1995), "Coinciding Objects: In Defence of the Standard Account", Analysis, 55: 171- 8.

Week 5. Notes

Week 5. Slides

Week 6

Reading Week

Week 7

Persistence and Temporal Parts

Essential Reading:

J. Tallant, (2011), Metaphysics: An Introduction. London, Continuum. Chapter 8.
K. Hawley (2001), How Things Persist. Oxford, O.U.P. Chapters 1 and 2.
T. Sider (1996), “All the World’s A Stage”, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 74: 433- 53.

Week 7. Notes

Week 7. Slides

Seminar Reading (for seminar in week 8)

K. Hawley (2001), How Things Persist. Oxford, O.U.P. Chapter 1.

Week 8

The Special Composition Question

Essential Reading:

J. Tallant, (2011), Metaphysics: An Introduction. London, Continuum. Chapter 2.
Van Inwagen, (1987), “When are Objects Parts?”. In James E. Tomberlin (ed.) Philosophical Perspectives I: Metaphysics. Atascadero, Ridgeview. Reprinted in Kim, Korman and Sosa. J.
Van Cleve, (2008), “The Moon and Sixpence: A Defence of Mereological Universalism”. In T. Sider, J. Hawthorne and D. Zimmerman, (eds.) Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics. Oxford, Blackwell.
N. Markosian, (2008), “Restricted Composition”. In T. Sider, J. Hawthorne and D. Zimmerman, (eds.) Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics. Oxford, Blackwell.

Week 8 Notes

Week 8 Slides

Seminar (in Week 9)

Please read: Van Inwagen (1987), "When are Objects Parts?"

Weeks 9 & 10

Ordinary Objects as Structured Complexes

Week 9

Essential Reading

M. J. Loux. (2006). Metaphysics. London, Routledge. Ch. 3 (section on Aristotelian substances)
D. Wiggins (2005). "Substance" in Grayling, A.C. (ed.) Philosophy: A Guide Through the Subject. Oxford, O.U.P.

Week 10

Essential Reading:

M.Rea (2014), Metaphysics: The Basics. London, Routledge. (pp.132-144).

Further Reading:

K. Koslicki, (2008), The Structure of Objects. Oxford, O.U.P. Chapter VII.
M. Rea (2012), “Hylomorphism Reconditioned”. In Philosophical Perspectives, 25. 341- 358.
M. Johnston (2006), "Hylomorphism" The Journal of Philosophy, 103, 652-98.
A. Marmadoro, (2013), "Hylomorphism without the Reconditioning" Philosophical Inquiry, 37, 5- 22.