A Survey of Metaphysics

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ISBN: 9780198752530 | 0198752539
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 3/7/2002

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A systematic overview of modern metaphysics, A Survey of Metaphysics covers all of the most important topics in the field. It adopts the fairly traditional conception of metaphysics as a subject that deals with the deepest questions that can be raised concerning the fundamental structure of reality as a whole. The book is divided into six main sections that address the following themes: identity and change, necessity and essence, causation, agency and events, space and time, and universals and particulars. It focuses on contemporary views and issues throughout, rather than on the history of metaphysics.

Introduction: The Nature of Metaphysics

(23)

What is metaphysics?

(3)

The threat of relativism

(1)

The objection from naturalized epistemology

(2)

Kant and the possibility of metaphysics

(2)

Metaphysics and empirical knowledge

(2)

Possibility, concepts, and semantics

(2)

Ontology and ontological categories

(3)

A short outline of this book

(7)

PART I: IDENTITY AND CHANGE

Identity Over Time and Change of Composition

(18)

Numerical and qualitative identity

(1)

Composite objects and change of parts

(1)

The puzzle of the ship of Theseus

(3)

Two radical solutions to the puzzle

(2)

A better solution?

(3)

Intermittent existence

(2)

Fission and fusion

(1)

Is vague identity possible?

(1)

The paradox of the thousand and one cats

(4)

Qualitative Change and the Doctrine of Temporal Parts

(18)

Leibniz's Law and the problem of qualitative change

(1)

Presentism

(1)

Three temporal realist solutions to the problem

(4)

A clarification of the adverbial solution

(2)

Perdurance versus endurance

(1)

The notion of temporal parts

(4)

A problem for perdurance theories

(1)

Temporal parts as theoretical entities

(4)

Substantial Change and Spatiotemporal Coincidence

(20)

Beginning and ceasing to exist

(2)

Can there be coinciding objects?

(1)

Relative versus absolute identity

(3)

Temporal parts and coinciding objects

(1)

Some radical solutions to the problem of coincidence

(2)

In defence of coinciding objects

(5)

Identity and constitution

(1)

The problem of Tibbles and Tib

(5)

PART II: NECESSITY, ESSENCE, AND POSSIBLE WORLDS

Necessity and Identity

(17)

Two kinds of possibility

(1)

Possibility as a dimension of variation

(1)

Possible worlds

(1)

Necessary truths and necessary beings

(2)

An argument for the necessity of identity

(2)

Some objections to the argument

(3)

Rigid designators

(1)

Transworld identity

(1)

Could two objects have been one?

(1)

The necessity of identity and the mind--body problem

(4)

Essentialism

(19)

Essential and accidental properties

(3)

Essential properties and the necessity of identity

(1)

Essential properties and the problem of transworld identity

100

(1)

Individual essences and haecceities

101

(2)

The necessity of origin

103

(1)

A four-worlds argument for the necessity of origin

104

(2)

The necessity of constitution

106

(3)

A temporal comparison and accessibility relations

109

(3)

A brief stock-taking

112

(1)

Essence and conventionalism

113

(2)

Possible Worlds

115

(22)

The language of possible worlds

115

(1)

Modal logics and their interpretation

116

(3)

Accessibility relations and essentialist theses

119

(1)

How should we understand talk of possible worlds?

120

(1)

A deflationary view

121

(2)

Transworld identity again

123

(1)

Another deflationary view

124

(2)

Modal fictionalism

126

(2)

Realist theories of possible worlds

128

(1)

Robust realism and the indexical conception of actuality

129

(2)

Moderate realism and actualism versus possibilism

131

(6)

PART III: CAUSATION AND CONDITIONALS

Counterfactual Conditionals

137

(18)

Subjective versus indicative conditionals

137

(2)

Counterfactual conditionals and possible worlds

139

(2)

Conditional excluded middle and `might' counterfactuals

141

(1)

The question of transitivity

142

(3)

The notion of `closeness' between possible worlds

145

(1)

The problem of deterministic worlds

146

(2)

Backtracking counterfactuals and context-dependency

148

(3)

The question of transitivity again

151

(1)

An alternative analysis of counterfactuals

152

(3)

Causes and conditions

155

(19)

Casual statements and the relata of causation

155

(2)

Event causation

157

(1)

The `Humean' analysis of causation and its problems

158

(2)

The counterfactual approach to event causation

160

(2)

Probabilistic event causation

162

(3)

Contributory causes and background conditions

165

(2)

Fact causation

167

(2)

The Slingshot Argument

169

(2)

Possible responses to the Slingshot Argument

171

(3)

Counterfactuals and event Causation

174

(21)

The simple counterfactual analysis of event causation

174

(1)

Some difficulties for the simple analysis

175

(3)

The problem of causal overdetermination

178

(2)

Some possible responses to the problem

180

(2)

The complex counterfactual analysis of event causation

182

(2)

Pre-emption cases

184

(2)

General objections to the counterfactual approach

186

(1)

The circularity objection

186

(2)

The objectivity objection

188

(2)

Alternative approaches

190

(5)

PART IV: AGENTS, ACTIONS, AND EVENTS

Event causation and agent causation

195

(19)

Agents and agent causation

195

(1)

An analysis of agent causation

196

(2)

Causative action verbs and basic actions

198

(1)

The case for irreducible agent causation

199

(2)

The problem of free will

201

(2)

Mental causation, rational choice, and freedom of action

203

(2)

Basic actions and backward causation

205

(1)

The conceptual priority of agent causation

206

(2)

An analysis of event causation

208

(3)

Implications for the notion of causality

211

(3)

Actions and events

214

(18)

Do events exist?

214

(2)

An argument for the existence of events

216

(4)

Criteria of identity

220

(1)

The individuation of actions and events

221

(1)

Are actions events?

222

(2)

A causal criterion of identity for events

224

(2)

Some responses to the circularity objection

226

(2)

Events as property exemplifications

228

(4)

Events, Things, and space-Time

232

(21)

Event-ontologies versus thing-ontologies

232

(1)

Event-ontologies and modern physics

233

(4)

Events and change

237

(3)

Are there any `subjectless' events?

240

(1)

Reductionism versus eliminativism

241

(1)

Is motion change of distance?

242

(2)

Prospects for a non-reductive pluralism of things and events

244

(1)

Can there be time without change?

245

(2)

Shoemaker's argument

247

(6)

PART V: SPACE AND TIME

Absolutism versus relationalism

253

(18)

Dimensionality and the structure of space

253

(3)

Space as `the void' versus space as a `plenum'

256

(1)

Newtonian absolute space

257

(2)

The rotating bucket experiment and Mach's objection

259

(3)

The two-globes thought experiment

262

(1)

Objections to Mach's position

263

(1)

Some varieties of relationalism

264

(2)

The general theory of relativity and the nature of space

266

(2)

The special theory of relativity and the nature of time

268

(3)

Incongruent counterparts and the nature of space

271

(17)

Substantivalism, relationalism, and transcendental idealism

271

(2)

The argument from incongruent counterparts

273

(1)

Kant's example of the solitary hand

274

(2)

A two-dimensional analogy

276

(2)

Moebius bands and the topology of space

278

(2)

Actual space versus possible spaces

280

(3)

How many dimensions could space have?

283

(1)

Does `space' denote an ontological category?

284

(1)

Is handedness a property?

285

(3)

The paradoxes of Motion and the possibility of change

288

(19)

Reality and the appearance of change

288

(1)

The Paradox of the Racecourse

289

(2)

Is the paradox self-defeating?

291

(1)

An inverted version of the paradox

291

(1)

A common-sense objection to the paradox

292

(1)

Infinite series and supertasks

293

(3)

Why does the paradox seem so compelling?

296

(1)

More on inverted versions of the paradox

297

(2)

The Achilles Paradox

299

(1)

The Paradox of the Arrow and instantaneous velocity

300

(3)

How can something begin to move?

303

(1)

The Paradox of the Moving Blocks and discrete space-time

304

(3)

Tense and the Reality of Time

307

(18)

The A series and the B series

307

(3)

Change and the passage of time

310

(2)

McTaggart's argument for the unreality of time

312

(1)

Does the A series involve a contradiction?

313

(1)

Tenses and the regress problem

314

(4)

A diagnosis of McTaggart's mistake

318

(1)

The B theorist's conception of time and tense

319

(1)

Is the passage of time illusory?

320

(2)

Dynamic conceptions of time and the reality of the future

322

(3)

Causation and the Direction of Time

325

(22)

Temporal asymmetry and the structure of time

325

(3)

Temporal asymmetry and the passage of time

328

(1)

Causation and temporal asymmetry

329

(3)

Backward causation and time travel into the past

332

(3)

Affecting the past versus changing the past

335

(1)

`Personal' time versus `external' time

335

(1)

Problems of multiple location and multiple occupancy

336

(2)

The Grandfather Paradox and the problem of causal loops

338

(3)

Time travel, general relativity, and informational loops

341

(1)

The laws of thermodynamics and the `arrow' of time

342

(5)

PART VI: UNIVERSALS AND PARTICULARS

Realism versus nominalism

347

(19)

The distinction between universals and particulars

347

(1)

A spatiotemporal account of the distinction

348

(2)

Instantiation and an alternative account

350

(2)

Nominalists versus realists

352

(1)

Predicates and properties

353

(2)

Resemblance classes and resemblance nominalism

355

(2)

Some problems for resemblance nominalism

357

(3)

The bundle theory

360

(1)

Trope theory

361

(1)

The problem of resemblance

362

(4)

The Abstract and the concrete

366

(20)

Two notions of concreteness and the status of tropes

366

(2)

The spatiotemporal and causal criteria of abstractness

368

(2)

Existence in space and time

370

(2)

How is knowledge of abstract objects possible?

372

(1)

The indispensability argument

373

(2)

Mathematical truths and mathematical objects

375

(2)

The ontological status of sets

377

(1)

The ontological status of possible worlds

378

(1)

Universals and laws of nature

379

(3)

Are universals abstract or concrete objects?

382

(2)

The ontological status of facts and states of affairs

384

(2)

Bibliography

386

(10)

Index

396

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A Survey of Metaphysics

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials