Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology Books
Clarendon Press In Contradiction
Book SynopsisIn Contradiction advocates and defends the view that there are true contradictions (dialetheism), a view that flies in the face of orthodoxy in Western philosophy since Aristotle. The book has been at the centre of the controversies surrounding dialetheism ever since its first publication in 1987. This second edition of the book substantially expands upon the original in various ways, and also contains the author''s reflections on developments over the last two decades. Further aspects of dialetheism are discussed in the companion volume, Doubt Truth to be a Liar, also published by Oxford University Press.Trade Reviewafter reading the careful arguments that Priest builds to defend dialetheism, and the passionate attack he launches on classical logic and consistent views of the world, one realizes that dialetheism is a major logical theory, deserving a detailed examination. . . . I strongly recommend its reading to anyone interested in logic and language * José Martínez Fernández, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsFull contents to follow
£54.15
Oxford University Press, USA Plotinus Cosmology
Book SynopsisIn Ennead II.1 (40) Plotinus is primarily concerned to argue for the everlastingness of the universe, the heavens, and the heavenly bodies as individual substances. Here he must grapple both with the philosophical issue of personal identity through time and with the rich tradition of cosmology which pitted the Platonists against the Aristotelians and Stoics. What results is a historically informed cosmological sketch explaining the constitution of the heavens as well as sublunar and celestial motion. This book contains an extensive introduction aimed at providing the necessary background in Platonic, Aristotelian, and Stoic cosmology, the text itself, and a line-by-line commentary designed to elucidate its philosophical, philological and historical details.Trade ReviewWilberding happily does not get drowned en detail, but masters it and subordinates it to lucid questions and transparent historical perspectives. A praiseworthy trait of Wilberding English-written commentary is his acquaintance with and his judicious use of secondary literature written not only in English, but also in German and French or even modern Greek. * Filip Karfik, Rhizai *a book that displays remarkable erudition, solid proficiency in both classical and contemporary languages. * Ermanno Bencivenga, Mind Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; The Text of Ennead II.1 ; Translation ; Commentary
£197.50
Clarendon Press Conceptions of Truth
Book SynopsisTruth is one of the most debated topics in philosophy; Wolfgang Künne presents a comprehensive critical examination of all major theories. Conceptions of Truth is organized around a flow-chart comprising sixteen key questions, ranging from Is truth a property? to Is truth epistemically constrained? Künne expounds and engages with the ideas of many thinkers, from Aristotle and the Stoics, to Continental analytic philosophers like Bolzano, Brentano, and Kotarbinski, to such leading figures in current debates as Dummett, Putnam, Wright, and Horwich. He explains many important distinctions (between varieties of correspondence, for example, between different conceptions of making true, between various kinds of eternalism and temporalism) which have so far been neglected in the literature. Künne argues that it is possible to give a satisfactory ''modest'' account of truth without invoking problematic notions like correspondence, fact, or meaning. And he offers a novel argument to support theTrade Review'impressively erudite . . . Kuenne's development of his own account of truth, like his discussion of nihilism, is intertwined with a detailed survey and rich critique of competing historical and contemporary views. . . . He has something to offer on a wide range of issues . . .The book would be a nice choice of text for a graduate seminar or reading group . . . Overall, Kuenne's book constitutes a useful and substantial addition to the existing literature on truth' * Alexander Miller, Mind *Review from previous edition ... it would be difficult to find a more comprehensive treatment of its subject. The book excels not only in this respect but also in clarity and thoroughness of exposition, and in the generosity, even chivalry, with which rejected views are treated - though they are dispatched no less decisively for that. It would be folly to claim, on behalf of any work on a major topic of philosophical contention, that it is a definitive treatment of its subject. But Conceptions of Truth seems to me to come as close to this merely regulative ideal as any work known to me. * P. F. Strawson, Times Literary Supplement *Table of Contents1. Some Questions about Truth ; 2. A Bogus Predicate? ; 3. Varieties of Correspondence ; 4. In and Out of Quotation Marks ; 5. Propositions, Time, and Eternity ; 6. Two Pleas for Modesty ; 7. Truth and Justifiability ; Bibliography ; Index
£64.60
Clarendon Press Plotinus on Intellect
Book SynopsisPlotinus (205-269 AD) is considered the founder of Neoplatonism, the dominant philosophical movement of late antiquity, and a rich seam of current scholarly interest. Whilst Plotinus'' influence on the subsequent philosophical tradition was enormous, his ideas can also be seen as the culmination of some implicit trends in the Greek tradition from Parmenides, Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. Emilsson''s in-depth study focuses on Plotinus'' notion of Intellect, which comes second in his hierarchical model of reality, after the One, unknowable first cause of everything. As opposed to ordinary human discursive thinking, Intellect''s thought is all-at-once, timeless, truthful and a direct intuition into ''things themselves''; it is presumably not even propositional. Emilsson discusses and explains this strong notion of non-discursive thought and explores Plotinus'' insistence that this must be the primary form of thought.Plotinus'' doctrine of Intellect raises a host of questions that EmilTrade ReviewA few years ago it would have been neccessary to begin this review by explaining, even to an erudite philosophical audience, who Plotinus was and why he had any important contribution to make to modern philosophy. Times are changing: recent discursive histories of the subject... all acknowledge Plotinus' historical significance and his charm. Emilsson's study will be of interest both to those already acquainted with his work and to those attracted to the topic by such recommendations... this is a welcome addition to the literature, much of which will be intelligible even to undergraduate student. * Stephen Clark, The Philosophical Quarterly *Emilsson's thoughtful discussion is expressed in language that is, if not exactly colloquial, relaxed... This friendly and unassuming voice mitigates the fact that the topic is thorny even for a reader familiar with ancient philosophy and basics of the Neoplatonic worldview. Emilsson's study will hopefully, in time, soildify a statis as a classic work to refer by scholars writing not just on Plotinus, but on late ancient views on thinking, intellection, and knowledge. * Paulina Remes, Mind *All Neoplatonic scholars will derive great benefit from E.'s thoughtful and mature treatment of some of the most intractable topics in Plotinus' philosophy. * John Bussanich, The Classical Review *His work will no doubt be for many years to come a basic tool for all students of Plotinus' metaphysics and epistemology, but also for those interested in Neoplatonism as a philosophical set of doctrines articulated on a rational basis of occasionally gripping insightfulness. The book is well-produced and provided with useful and conveniently structure indices. * Paul Kalligas RHIZAI *an extraordinary stimulating analysis of what is probably the most central and engaging aspect of Plotinus' metaphysics. * Andrew Smith, Bryn Mawr Classical Reviews *Plotinian studies are currently flourishing...To this growing body of literature, E. K. Emilsson's Plotinus on Intellect is a most valuable addition. It addresses a main question in Plotinus' ontology, and it does so in the language of philosophy. Rather than remaining locked within the intricacies of Plotinus' system, in the manner of many a scholar working in the field, Emilsson is not afraid to stand back from the system...Emilsson is much to be congratulated for so seeking to extend Plotinus' appeal to a wider philosophical readership...The thesis itself and its varied ramifications are painstaking and lucidly argued for...Plotinus on Intellect is a well-produced book; typos are rare, references accurate and indices helpfully comprehensive...a fine work which deserves to become a point of reference for anyone working in the field. * Suzanne Stern-Gillett, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *...an extraordinarily stimulating analysis... * Bryn Mawr Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Emanation and activity ; 2. The genesis of Intellect ; 3. Intellect and Being ; 4. Discursive and non-discursive thought
£100.00
Clarendon Press Fictionalism in Metaphysics
Book SynopsisFictionalism is the view that a serious intellectual inquiry need not aim at truth. It came to prominence in philosophy in 1980, when Hartry Field argued that mathematics does not have to be true to be good, and Bas van Fraassen argued that the aim of science is not truth but empirical adequacy. Both suggested that the acceptance of a mathematical or scientific theory need not involve belief in its content. Thus the distinctive commitment of fictionalism is that acceptance in a given domain of inquiry need not be truth-normed, and that the acceptance of a sentence from the associated region of discourse need not involve belief in its content. In metaphysics fictionalism is now widely regarded as an option worthy of serious consideration. This volume represents a major benchmark in the debate: it brings together an impressive international team of contributors, whose essays (all but one of them appearing here for the first time) represent the state of the art in various areas of metaphyTrade ReviewKalderon's collection of eleven papers, written by top philosophers in the field, represents the breadth and width of the topic... The papers are all of extremely high quality, and contain important original work. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Problems in the history of fictionalism ; 2. Metaphor and prop oriented make-believe ; 3. The myth of seven ; 4. Modal fictionalism and analysis ; 5. Truth as a pretence ; 6. Belief about nothing in particular ; 7. Fictionalist attitudes about fictional matters ; 8. What we disagree about when we disagree about ontology ; 9. Moral fictionalism ; 10. Quasi-realism is fictionalism ; 11. Quasi-realism no fictionalism
£56.05
Clarendon Press Identity and Modality Mind Association Occasional Series
Book SynopsisAddresses fundamental and interrelated philosophical issues concerning modality and identity, issues that were pivotal to the development of analytic philosophy in the twentieth century. This work is intended for graduate students in the subject and professional philosophers.Trade ReviewThe essays make important contributions to contemporary debated concerning modality, individuation, mathmatical structuralism and personal identity. The collection is tus warmly recommended to anyone interested in these areas. * Oystein Linnebo MIND *the volume . . . is of high quality and contains important contributions to many areas of contemporary metaphysics * Matti Eklund, Notre Dame Philosophical Review *all in all, this is an impressive volume, of significant interest to anyone who wants to stay abreast of developments in contemporary metaphysics * Matti Eklund, Notre Dame Philosophical Review *Table of ContentsI. MODALITY ; II. IDENTITY AND INDIVIDUATION ; III. PERSONAL IDENTITY
£114.00
Clarendon Press Knowing Persons
Book SynopsisKnowing Persons is an original study of Plato''s account of personhood. For Plato, embodied persons are images of a disembodied ideal. The ideal person is a knower. Hence, the lives of embodied persons need to be understood according to Plato''s metaphysics of imagery.For Gerson, Plato''s account of embodied personhood is not accurately conflated with Cartesian dualism. Plato''s dualism is more appropriately seen in the contrast between the ideal disembodied person and the embodied one than in the contrast between mind or soul and body.This study argues that Plato''s analysis of personhood is intended to cohere with his two-world metaphysics as well as a radical separation of knowledge and belief. Gerson demonstrates that Plato''s account of persons plays a key role not just in his theory of mind, but in his theory of knowledge, his metaphysics, and his ethics. A proper understanding of Plato''s account of persons must therefore place it in the context of his doctrines in these areas. Trade ReviewReview from previous edition for those scholars interested in the concepts of subjectivity, person, and human being in Plato's works, Knowing Persons is an excellent account and resource on these topics * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *... an interesting reading of Plato on persons and on knowledge. * Lesley Brown, Times Literary Supplement *Table of Contents1. SOULS AND PERSONS ; 2. IMMORTALITY AND PERSONS IN PHAEDO ; 3. DIVIDED PERSONS: REPUBLIC AND PHAEDRUS ; 4. KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF IN REPUBLIC ; 5. THEAETETUS: WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE? ; 6. PERSONHOOD IN THE LATER DIALOGUES ; 7. CONCLUDING REMARKS
£56.05
Oxford University Press The Essential Davidson
Book SynopsisThe Essential Davidson compiles the most celebrated papers of one of the twentieth century''s greatest philosophers. It distils Donald Davidson''s seminal contributions to our understanding of ourselves, from three decades of essays, into one thematically organized collection. A new, specially written introduction by Ernie Lepore and Kirk Ludwig, two of the world''s leading authorities on his work, offers a guide through the ideas and arguments, shows how they interconnect, and reveals the systematic coherence of Davidson''s worldview.Davidson''s philosophical program is organized around two connected projects. The first is that of understanding the nature of human agency. The second is that of understanding the nature and function of language, and its relation to the world. Accordingly, the first part of the book presents Davidson''s investigation of reasons, causes, and intentions, which revolutionized the philosophy of action. This leads to his notable doctrine of anomalous monism, Table of ContentsIntroduction ; PHILOSOPHY OF ACTION AND PSYCHOLOGY ; 1. Action, Reasons, and Causes (1963) ; 2. The Logical Form of Action Sentences (with Comments, Criticism, and Defense) (1967) ; 3. How is Weakness of the Will Possible? (1969) ; 4. Individuation of Events (1969) ; 5. Mental Events (1970) (with Emeroses by Other Names (1966)) ; 6. Intending (1978) ; 7. Paradoxes of Irrationality (1982) ; TRUTH, MEANING, AND INTERPRETATION ; 8. Truth and Meaning (1967) ; 9. On Saying That (1968) ; 10. Radical Interpretation (1973) ; 11. On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme (1974) ; 12. What Metaphors Mean (1978) ; 13. A Coherence Theory of Truth and Knowledge (1983); Afterthoughts (1987) ; 14. First Person Authority (1984) ; 15. A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs (1986)
£35.62
Oxford University Press, USA World for Us The Case for Phenomenalistic Idealism
Book SynopsisA World for Us aims to refute physical realism and establish in its place a form of idealism. Physical realism, in the sense in which John Foster understands it, takes the physical world to be something whose existence is both logically independent of the human mind and metaphysically fundamental. Foster identifies a number of problems for this realist view, but his main objection is that it does not accord the world the requisite empirical immanence. The form of idealism that he tries to establish in its place rejects the realist view in both its aspects. It takes the world to be something whose existence is ultimately constituted by facts about human sensory experience, or by some richer complex of non-physical facts in which such experiential facts centrally feature. Foster calls this phenomenalistic idealism. He tries to establish a specific version of such phenomenalistic idealism, in which the experiential facts that centrally feature in the constitutive creation of the world are ones that concern the organization of human sensory experience. The basic idea of this version is that, in the context of certain other constitutively relevant factors, this sensory organization creates the physical world by disposing things to appear systematically world-wise at the human empirical viewpoint. Chief among these other relevant factors is the role of God as the one who is responsible for the sensory organization and ordains the system of appearance it yields. It is this that gives the idealistically created world its objectivity and allows it to qualify as a real world.Trade Review...it would be hard to find on the contemporary philosophic scene a better advocate of the idealistic standpoint than John Foster. * Pierfrancesco Basile, Times Literary Supplement *One of the scandals of philosophy is the tyranny of fashion. Idealism, once so popular, is now largely ignored. Thank God , then, for those such as Foster who show us that far from being refuted, it can be argued for with at least as much cogency sd other metaphysical theses which are taken much more seriously. Here John Foster builds on his 1982 book The Case for Idealism, presenting that case in a more accessible form, and reaching a slightly different conclusion... I...commend this fine book to readers * Peter Forrest, The Philosophical Quarterly *Table of Contents1. The Problem of Perception ; 2. The Inscrutability of Intrinsic Content ; 3. Realism and Phenomenalistic Idealism ; 4. The Refutation of Realism ; 5. The Challenge of Nihilism ; 6. The Issue of Objectivity ; References
£90.25
Oxford University Press, USA Everything in Its Right Place
Book SynopsisIn Everything in Its Right Place, Joseph Almog develops the unitarian and universalist metaphysics of Spinoza. Spinoza''s ground zero thesis is that Nature is one and all. Everything (including God, mathematics, morals, our own thoughts) finds its place within Spinoza''s (capital N) Nature. It is the place that each thing occupies within the grid of Nature-from God on down the cosmic tree of being-that determines its fundamental (lowercase n) nature. For Spinoza, one''s nature is determined by one''s place in Nature or, in terms of the fundamental axiom of the book-the Nature-unfolding axiom: the nature of x=Nature at x.Almog''s reading of Spinoza is distinct in its understanding of the deductive abstractions of part I-II of the Ethics by means of the concrete illustrations of Spinoza''s intended subject matter in his political writings, where he tells us directly (i) what Nature is and (ii) how man''s nature is not a separate kingdom from the Nature-kingdom but merely an unfolding ofTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction - why, what and how Spinoza? ; Chapter 2 Nature is one ; Chapter 3 Nature is all ; Chapter 4 Man as a force of Nature-desire, acting and the metaphysics of politics ; Chapter 5 Life by the light of Nature: Love of God and partaking in infinity ; Acknowledgments ; Index
£54.15
Oxford University Press Attention Is Cognitive Unison
Book SynopsisSome psychological phenomena can be explained by identifying and describing the processes that constitute them. Others cannot be explained in that way. In this book, Christopher Mole gives a precise account of the metaphysical difference that divides these two categories and shows that, when current psychologists attempt to explain attention, they assign it to the wrong one.Trade ReviewMole carefully and clearly makes his case, offering readers two different approaches to attention. Thorough and convincing, Mole links his theory to consciousness, intentionality, causation, and much else. This is an important book for professionals and graduate students of philosophy of mind and cognitive science. Highly Recommended. * CHOICE *Table of Contents1. Highlights of a Difficult History ; 1.1 The Preliminary Identification of Our Topic ; 1.2 Three Approaches ; 1.3 Bradley's Protest ; 1.4 James's Disjunctive Theory ; 1.5 The Source of Bradley's Dissatisfaction ; 1.6 Behaviourism and After ; 1.7 Heirs of Bradley in the Twentieth Century ; 2. The Underlying Metaphysical Issue ; 2.1 Explanatory Tactics ; 2.2 The Basic Distinction ; 2.3 Metaphysical Categories and Taxonomies ; 2.4 Adverbialism, Multiple Realizability, and Natural Kinds ; 2.5 Adverbialism and Levels of Explanation ; 2.6 Taxonomies and Supervenience Relations ; 3. Rejecting the Process First View ; 3.1 Supervenience-Failure ; 3.2 The Modal Commitments of The Process-First View ; 3.3 The Interference Argument - A Putative Problem for Adverbialist Accounts ; 3.4 Conclusion ; 4. Cognitive Unison ; 4.1 Introduction ; 4.2 The Problem with Attitude Based Adverbialism ; 4.3 Gilbert Ryle and Alan White ; 4.4 White's Argument Against Disposition-Based Adverbialism ; 4.5 The Cognitive Unison Theory ; 4.6 Tasks ; 4.7 Cognitive Processes ; 4.8 Potential Service of a Task ; 4.9 Superordinate Tasks ; 4.10 Some Features of the Theory ; 4.11 Divided Attention ; 4.12 Degrees of Attention and Merely Partial Attention ; 4.13 Summary ; 5. The Causal Life of Attention ; 5.1 Mental Causation ; 5.2 How to Respond to Mental Causation Objections ; 5.3 The Causal Role of Attention ; 5.4 Attention as an enabling condition ; 5.5 Counterfactuals ; 5.6 The Causal Relevance of Attention per se ; 5.7 Counterfactuals and Causally Relevant Properties ; 5.8 Objections to Counterfactual Analysis of Causation and of Causal Relevance ; 5.9 The Extrinsicness of Unison ; 5.10 The Privative Character of Unison and The Problem of Absence Causation ; 5.11 Causal Exclusion ; 5.12 Summary ; 6. Consequences for Cognitive Psychology ; 6.1 Psychology and Metaphysics ; 6.2 The Metaphysical Commitments of the Process-Identifying Project ; 6.3 The Diverse Explanatory Construals of Current Psychological Results ; 6.4 Reasons for Deflation ; 6.5 Inductively Unreliable Properties ; 6.6 Questions Without Answers ; 6.7 The Positive Payoff ; 7. Philosophical Work for The Theory of Attention ; 7.1 Putting Attention to Philosophical Work ; 7.2 Attention and Reference ; 7.3 Attention and Consciousness ; 7.4 Prospects for Optimism ; Notes ; References
£33.72
Oxford University Press The Sources of Intentionality
Book SynopsisWhat do thoughts, hopes, paintings, words, desires, photographs, traffic signs, and perceptions have in common? They are all about something, are directed, are contentful - in a way chairs and trees, for example, are not. This book inquires into the source of this power of directedness that some items exhibit while others do not. An approach to this issue prevalent in the philosophy of the past half-century seeks to explain the power of directedness in terms of certain items'' ability to reliably track things in their environment. A very different approach, with a venerable history and enjoying a recent resurgence, seeks to explain the power of directedness rather in terms of an intrinsic ability of conscious experience to direct itself. This book attempts a synthesis of both approaches, developing an account of the sources of such directedness that grounds it both in reliable tracking and in conscious experience.Trade ReviewKriegel has provided a rich and interesting proposal for integrating two traditionally opposed viewpoints on the nature of intentionality. * E. J. Green, Mind *this book is an important and original contribution to the theory of intentionality, with many rich and interesting discussions, one that rewards close study and deserves a place on every philosopher of minds bookshelf. * Sean Crawford, Analysis *Table of ContentsContents ; Introduction ; 1. The Experiential Origins of Intentionality ; 1.1. The Concept of Intentionality and Anchoring Instances ; 1.1.1. An Anchoring-Instance Model of Natural Kind Concept Formation ; 1.1.2. Application to the Concept of Intentionality ; 1.2. Experiential Intentionality the Anchor ; 1.2.1. An Asymmetry of Ascription ; 1.2.2. Explaining the Asymmetry ; 1.2.3. Objections and Replies ; 1.3. 'Experiential Intentionality' ; 1.3.1. Definition ; 1.3.2. Existence ; 1.3.3. Scope ; 2. The Nature of Experiential Intentionality: I. A Higher-Order Tracking Theory ; 2.1. A Tracking Account of Experiential Intentionality? ; 2.1.1. Background: Tracking Theories of Mental Representation ; 2.1.2. Representationalist Theories of Conscious Experience ; 2.1.3. Experiential Tracking ; 2.2. The HOT Argument ; 2.2.1. Background: Higher-Order Theories of Conscious Experience ; 2.2.2. Higher-Order Theory and the Tracking Account of Experiential Intentionality ; 2.3. Experiential Intentionality and Higher-Order Tracking ; 2.4. Objections and Replies ; 2.4.1. 'Intentionality,' 'Representation,' 'Tracking' ; 2.4.2. What do We Want a Theory of Intentionality for? ; 3. The Nature of Experiential Intentionality: II. An Adverbial Theory ; 3.1. Background: Intentional Inexistence and Intentional Indifference ; 3.2. The Argument from Intentional Indifference ; 3.2.1. The Argument ; 3.2.2. Responses ; 3.2.3. Brains in Vats ; 3.3. The Argument from Intentional Inexistence ; 3.3.1. The Argument ; 3.3.2. Responses ; 3.4. Experiential Intentionality as Adverbial Modification ; 3.5. Objections to Adverbialism ; 4. The Nature of Non-Experiential Intentionality: An Interpretivist Theory ; 4.1. Potentialism ; 4.2. Inferentialism ; 4.3. Eliminativism ; 4.4. Interpretivism ; 4.4.1. Interpretivism about Non-Experiential Intentionality ; 4.4.2. Interpretivism Developed ; 4.4.3. Objections and Replies ; 5. Toward a General Theory of Intentionality ; 5.1. Adverbialism plus Interpretivism ; 5.2. Higher-Order Tracking Theory plus Interpretivism ; References
£39.42
Oxford University Press Inc Individuals Across the Sciences
Book SynopsisWhat are individuals? How can they be identified? These are crucial questions for philosophers and scientists alike. Criteria of individuality seem to differ markedly between metaphysics and the empirical sciences - and this might well explain why no work has hitherto attempted to relate the contributions of metaphysics, physics and biology on this question. This timely volume brings together various strands of research into ''individuality'', examining how different sciences handle the issue, and reflecting on how this scientific work relates to metaphysical concerns. The collection makes a major contribution to clarifying and overcoming obstacles to the construction of a general conception of the individual adequate for both physics and biology, and perhaps even beyond.Trade ReviewWithout a doubt, the individual contributions advance particular individuality debates in valuable ways. There is work that extends several influential approaches to individuality in biology. * Karen Kovaka, Studies in History and Philosophy of the Biological and Biomedical Sciences *Table of ContentsContents ; Chapter 1: Introduction: Progressive steps towards a unified conception of individuality ; across the sciences ; Alexandre Guay & Thomas Pradeu ; Part 1: Metaphysical and logical foundations to individuality ; Chapter 2: Why individuality matters ; Stephane Chauvier ; A foreword to Jonathan Lowe's chapter ; Alexander Bird ; Chapter 3: Non-Individuals ; Jonathan Lowe ; Chapter 4: Individuality, quantum physics, and a metaphysics of non-individuals: the ; role of the formal ; Krause and Arenhart ; Part 2: Puzzles about individuals in biology and physics ; Chapter 5: Individuality and Life Cycles ; Peter Godfrey-Smith ; Chapter 6: What Biofilms Can Teach Us About Individuality ; Marc Ereshefsky and Makmiller Pedroso ; Chapter 7: Cell and Body: Individuals in Stem Cell Biology ; Melinda Fagan ; Chapter 8: Collective individuals: parallels between joint action and biological ; individuality ; Cedric Paternotte ; Chapter 9: On the Emergence of Individuals in Physics ; Simon Saunders ; Chapter 10: Are there individuals in physics and if so what are they? ; James Ladyman ; Chapter 11: Minimal Structural Essentialism: Why Physics Doesn't Care Which is ; Which ; David Glick ; Chapter 12: Bohm's approach and individuality ; Paavo Pylkkanen, Basil J. Hiley, and Ilkka Pattiniemi ; Chapter 13: Branch-Relative Identity ; Christina Conroy ; Part 3: Beyond disciplinary borders ; Chapter 14: The Metaphysics of Individuality and the Sciences ; Matteo Morganti ; Chapter 15: The Biological and the Mereological: Metaphysical Implications of the ; Individuality Thesis ; Matt Haber ; Chapter 16: To Be Continued: The Genidentity of Physical and Biological Processes ; Alexandre Guay and Thomas Pradeu ; Chapter 17: Experimental Realization of Individuality ; Ruey-Lin Chen ; Chapter 18: Eliminating Objects Across the Sciences ; Steven French
£83.60
Oxford University Press, USA Truth Through Proof A Formalist Foundation for Mathematics
Book SynopsisTruth Through Proof defends an anti-platonist philosophy of mathematics derived from game formalism. Classic formalists claimed implausibly that mathematical utterances are truth-valueless moves in a game. Alan Weir aims to develop a more satisfactory successor to game formalism utilising a widely accepted, broadly neo-Fregean framework, in which the proposition expressed by an utterance is a function of both sense and background circumstance. This framework allows for sentences whose truth-conditions are not representational, which are made true or false by conditions residing in the circumstances of utterances but not transparently in the sense. Applications to projectivism and fiction pave the way for the claim that mathematical utterances are made true or false by the existence of concrete proofs or refutations, though these truth-making conditions form no part of their sense or informational content. The position is compared with rivals, an account of the applicability of mathematics developed, and a new account of the nature of idealisation proffered in which it is argued that the finitistic limitations Gödel placed on proofs are without rational justification. Finally a non-classical logical system is provided in which excluded middle fails, yet enough logical power remains to recapture the results of standard mathematics.Trade ReviewIn this fascinating book, Weir defends a new account of what makes mathematical assertions objectively true or false. * Julian C. Cole, Philosophy in Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Metaphysics ; 2. Ontological Reduction ; 3. Neo-formalism ; 4. Objections and Comparisons ; 5. Applying Mathematics ; 6. Proof Set in Concrete ; 7. Idealisation Naturalised ; 8. Logic ; Conclusion ; Appendix
£84.55
Oxford University Press, USA Aristotles Metaphysics Beta
Book SynopsisNine leading scholars of ancient philosophy from Europe, the UK, and North America offer a systematic study of Book Beta of Aristotle''s Metaphysics. The work takes the form of a series of aporiai or ''difficulties'' which Aristotle presents as necessary points of engagement for those who wish to attain wisdom. The topics include causation, substance, constitution, properties, predicates, and generally the ontology of both the perishable and the imperishable world. Each contributor discusses one or two of these aporiai in sequence: the result is a discursive commentary on this seminal text of Western philosophy.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Aporia Zero (Metaphysics, Beta 1, 995a24-995b4) ; 2. Aporia 1-2 ; 3. Aporia 3-5 ; 4. Aporia 6 and 7 ; 5. Aporia 8 ; 6. Aporia 9-10 ; 7. Aporia 11 ; 8. Aporia 12 ; 9. Aporia 13 -14 ; Bibliography ; Index locorum ; Index nominum ; General index
£95.00
Oxford University Press Emergent Multiverse
Book SynopsisThe Emergent Multiverse presents a striking new account of the ''many worlds'' approach to quantum theory. The point of science, it is generally accepted, is to tell us how the world works and what it is like. But quantum theory seems to fail to do this: taken literally as a theory of the world, it seems to make crazy claims: particles are in two places at once; cats are alive and dead at the same time. So physicists and philosophers have often been led either to give up on the idea that quantum theory describes reality, or to modify or augment the theory. The Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics takes the apparent craziness seriously, and asks, ''what would it be like if particles really were in two places at once, if cats really were alive and dead at the same time''? The answer, it turns out, is that if the world were like that--if it were as quantum theory claims--it would be a world that, at the macroscopic level, was constantly branching into copies--hence the more sensationalist name for the Everett interpretation, the ''many worlds theory''. But really, the interpretation is not sensationalist at all: it simply takes quantum theory seriously, literally, as a description of the world. Once dismissed as absurd, it is now accepted by many physicists as the best way to make coherent sense of quantum theory.David Wallace offers a clear and up-to-date survey of work on the Everett interpretation in physics and in philosophy of science, and at the same time provides a self-contained and thoroughly modern account of it--an account which is accessible to readers who have previously studied quantum theory at undergraduate level, and which will shape the future direction of research by leading experts in the field.Trade ReviewThe Emergent Multiverse is the most extensive, careful, and wide-ranging discussion of Hugh Everetts so-called Many Worlds interpretation of quantum theory in existence (at least on our branch of the multiverse), and is certain to become the locus classicus for all future discussions of the theory. Since the first obligation of a reviewer is to give guidance to potential readers, I will discharge that obligation first: if you have any interest in studying or trying to understand the Everett theory, you must get this book. You wont find a better discussion of both foundational issues and far-flung consequences of the theory anywhere. David Wallace has been brooding on the theory, and fielding objections to it, for over a decade. His considered views and responses are as careful and sophisticated as any on the market, and are equally attuned to physical and to philosophical issues. * Tim Maudlin, Nous *This book is an outstanding achievement. It presents the current state of the art in the Everett interpretation to a depth and level of sophistication that will be appreciated by the leading experts in the foundations of quantum theory (of whom Wallace is one) -- and will educate them, and should chasten most of them. Yet, at the same time, the presentation is so clear and down-to-earth that this could serve as an introductory textbook for (say) undergraduates who are unfamiliar with any of the issues or even with quantum theory. This combination of relentlessly watertight argument with relentless common sense, however counter-intuitive the subject matter, is something Wallace is very good at. So much so that I think that even a philosophically-minded lay person, who would have to skip most of the technical discussion and equations, might nevertheless devour this book and learn a great deal from it * David Deutsch, Centre for Quantum Computation, The Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford *Nobody has done more to defend, clarify and advance the Everett interpretation over the past dozen years than Wallace, and this book is the culmination of his work on this area. As those who have read Wallace's articles will expect, it is an excellent book, and should be required reading for anyone interested in the foundations of quantum mechanics * Peter J. Lewis, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *The dialogic interludes are insightful and entertaining. The quotations at the beginning of each sectionare incredibly to the point...I recommend to everyone, especially to sceptics of the MWI to read this book: enjoy the brilliant and engaging style... * Lev Vaidman, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science *Table of ContentsPART I: THE PLURALITY OF WORLDS; PART II: PROBABILITY IN A BRANCHING UNIVERSE; PART III: QUANTUM MECHANICS, EVERETT STYLE; APPENDICES
£98.91
Oxford University Press The God of Metaphysics
Book SynopsisCan philosophy offer reasonable grounds for the existence of a God as the centre of actual faith, rather than just a theoretical Absolute? Many contemporary thinkers have concluded that no genuine religion could be based upon metaphysics. In this book, however, T. L. S. Sprigge examines sympathetically the most notable metaphysical systems of the last four centuries which purport to put religion on a rational footing and, after a thorough examination of their claims, considers what kind of religious outlook they might support and (more briefly) how they actually affected the lives of their proponents. The thinkers studied include Spinoza, Hegel, T. H. Green, Bernard Bosanquet (together with a brief discussion of Bradley), Josiah Royce, A. N. Whitehead, and Charles Hartshorne, concluding with an exposition of the author''s own viewpoint (pantheistic absolute idealism) and a general discussion on the relation between metaphysics and religion. There is also a chapter on Kierkegaard as theTrade Reviewit is, I confess, immensely refreshing to read a book such as Sprigge's... I have immense admiration for Sprigge's pluck and resolve. In summary metaphysical systems can function in religious terms. In this sense I think Sprigge makes a persuasive philosophical case. * Anderew Vincent *Table of Contents1. Introductory ; 2. The God of Spinoza ; 3. Hegelian Christianity ; 4. Kierkegaard and Hegelian Christianity ; 5. T. H. Green and the Eternal Consciousness ; 6. Bernard Bosanquet ; 7. Josiah Royce ; 8. Process Philosophy and Theology: Whitehead and Hartshorne ; 9. Panthesitic Idealism ; 10. Concluding Remarks
£59.85
Oxford University Press, USA Evidentialism and its Discontents
Book SynopsisFew concepts have been considered as essential to the theory of knowledge and rational belief as that of evidence. The simplest theory which accounts for this is evidentialism, the view that epistemic justification for belief--the kind of justification typically taken to be required for knowledge--is determined solely by considerations pertaining to one''s evidence. In this ground-breaking book, leading epistemologists from across the spectrum challenge and refine evidentialism, sometimes suggesting that it needs to be expanded in quite surprising directions. Following this, the twin pillars of contemporary evidentialism--Earl Conee and Richard Feldman--respond to each essay. This engaging debate covers a vast number of issues, and will illuminate and inform.Trade Reviewa significant contribution to a number of ongoing discussions in contemporary epistemology. It will be useful for both graduate students and researchers in epistemology, and a valuable addition to library collections in epistemology. * Joseph Shieber, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *a timely and noteworthy contribution to epistemology ... Epistemologists of any creed will unquestionably glean much insight from this collection. * Lauren Leydon-Hardy, Analysis *Table of ContentsPART I. EVIDENTIALISM AND DISAGREEMENT; PART II. VIRTUE CRITIQUES: EVIDENCE AND INQUIRY; PART III. EVIDENTIALISM AND SKEPTICISM; PART IV. "KNOWLEDGE FIRST"; PART V. INTERNALISM/EXTERNALISM; PART VI. EVIDENCE; PART VII. NEW SYNTHESES; PART VIII. REPLIES
£95.00
Oxford University Press Leibniz Body Substance Monad
Book SynopsisDaniel Garber presents an illuminating study of Leibniz''s conception of the physical world. Leibniz''s commentators usually begin with monads, mind-like simple substances, the ultimate building-blocks of the Monadology. But Leibniz''s apparently idealist metaphysics is very puzzling: how can any sensible person think that the world is made up of tiny minds? In this book, Garber tries to make Leibniz''s thought intelligible by focusing instead on his notion of body. Beginning with Leibniz''s earliest writings, he shows how Leibniz starts as a Hobbesian with a robust sense of the physical world, and how, step by step, he advances to the monadological metaphysics of his later years. Much of the book''s focus is on Leibniz''s middle years, where the fundamental constituents of the world are corporeal substances, unities of matter and form understood on the model of animals. For Garber monads only enter fairly late in Leibniz''s career, and when they enter, he argues, they do not displace Trade ReviewDaniel Garbers book is an important contribution. * Tamás Demeter, Philosopy in Review QUOTE LOADED 21/01/2013 *Garber has written a remarkable book. * Francoise Monnoyeur, The Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 60 No. 241 (Oct 2010) *Garber has delivered an unusually rich and subtle reading of Leibniz... his meticulous story of the development of Leibniz's thought about substance and body from his early years up through the middle years, and in particular his insightful description of the ways in which considerations of unity, persistence, and activity led Leibniz to realize that substantial forms have something to contribute to physics, is by far the best account we have of this subject... an immensely valuable contribution to the literature. Its combination of first-rate scholarship and provocative interpretive theses will make it essential reading for specialists working on Leibniz's metaphysics. It would be a shame, however, if it were read only by specialists. For the story it tells is an engaging one. * Stephen Puryear, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *impressive and brilliantly argued ... a fascinating journey through Leibniz's view (or views) of the physical world and its metaphysical grounding from his earliest years to the end of his life. There can be no doubt that the resulting study constitues a milestone contribution which will mark the direction of the debate on Leibniz's theories of substance and of the ontological status of bodies for many years to come. * Maria Rosa Antognazza, Nuncius: Journal of the Material and Visual History of Science *With a powerful mix of original scholarship, textual analysis, and contextualization, Daniel Garber closes a case he has been building for nearly thirty years against the myth of Leibniz as "a dogmatic who from his early years to the end of his life lived in an austere and immaterial world of spiritual substances". * Geoffrey Gorham, Isis *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. First Thoughts ; 2. Reforming Mechanism: Unity ; 3. Reforming Mechanism: Body and Force, Matter and Form (I) ; 4. Reforming Mechanism: Body and Force, Matter and Form (II) ; 5. Complete Individual Concepts, Non-Communication and Causal Connection ; 6. Divine Wisdom and Final Causes ; 7. Leibnizian Phenomenalisms ; 8. Enchanting the World: "...after many corrections and forward steps in my thinking" ; 9. Monads, Bodies and Corporeal Substances: The Endgame ; Epilogue ; Bibliography ; Index
£89.00
Oxford University Press The Nature of Normativity
Book SynopsisThe Nature of Normativity presents a complete theory about the nature of normative thought -- that is, the sort of thought that is concerned with what ought to be the case, or what we ought to do or think. Ralph Wedgwood defends a kind of realism about the normative, according to which normative truths or facts are genuinely part of reality. Anti-realists often complain that realism gives rise to demands for explanation that it cannot adequately meet. What is the nature of these normative facts? How we could ever know them or even refer to them in language or thought? Wedgwood accepts that any adequate version of realism must answer these explanatory demands. However, he seeks to show that these demands can be met - in large part by relying on a version of the idea, which has been much discussed in recent work in the philosophy of mind, that the intentional is normative - that is, that there is no way of explaining the nature of the various sorts of mental states that have intentional Trade ReviewThis is a big-picture book, written with a breadth of focus which I find admirable... To help guide us through such a broad landscape, the book needed to be well signposted and clearly written, and it is... when the big picture in question is as interesting as Wedgwood's, the game is worth the candle. * C. S. Jenkins, Analysis Reviews *Highly ambitious and ingeniously argued * Hallvard Lillehammer, Times Literary Supplement *The explanatory power, breadth, and sheer inventiveness of Ralph Wedgwood's work places him in a category of his own... its richness and the surprising coherence of the interconnected views that it advocates demand serious attention. * Mark Schroeder, Notre Dame Philosophical Review *Wide-ranging, systematic, and provocative. * Chris Alen Sula, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice *an ambitious and sophisticated exploration ... a dense and richly argumentative book informed by a deep knowledge and understanding of the state of play in the areas addressed. * Alan Millar, Mind *Table of ContentsPART I: THE SEMANTICS OF NORMATIVE THOUGHT AND DISCOURSE; PART II: THE METAPHYSICS OF NORMATIVE FACTS; PART III: THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF NORMATIVE BELIEF
£54.15
Oxford University Press Every Thing Must Go Metaphysics Naturalized
Book SynopsisEvery Thing Must Go argues that metaphysics must be based on contemporary science as it really is, and not on philosophers' intuitions, common sense, or simplifications. Metaphysicians must abandon the picture of the world as composed of self-subsistent and individual objects, and the paradigm of causation as the collision of such objects.Trade ReviewThis material is dense, challenging and creative...a provovative book...the authors are to be commended for taking on the challenge to develop a systematic, scientifically informed metaphysics for the twenty-first century. * Paul W. Humphreys Metascience *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. In Defence of Scientism ; 2. Scientific Realism, Constructive Empiricism and Structuralism ; 3. Ontic Structural Realism and the Philosophy of Physics ; 4. Rainforest Realism and the Unity of Science ; 5. Causation in a Structural World ; 6. Conclusion - Philosophy Enough ; Bibliography
£39.89
Oxford University Press, USA Projection and Realism in Humes Philosophy
Book SynopsisHume is held to have taught that causal power and self are projections, that God is a projection of our fear, and that value is a projection of sentiment. In Projection and Realism in Hume's Philosophy, P. J. E. Kail provides a fresh interpretation of this metaphor and uses it to shed new light on some of Hume's central ideas.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Peter Kail's engaging study undertakes to illuminate Hume on the external world, necessity, and value by juxtaposing these topics with God, personal identity, and colour respectively...There is much...to admire: the unusual breadth of coverage; the rich comparison of Hume's explanations of belief in God and the external world...The intricate defences of provocative interpretive claims-for example, that Hume thinks belief with evaluation content can, on its own, motivate action-are sure to recieve wide attention. * Louis E. Loeb, Mind *A formiddable accomplishment, highly innovative in many of its theses, and, all in all, well-stocked with interesting arguments... Of the writing of books on Hume there is end; kail's is hugely impressive, one of the best I have read in the past decade or so. * Alexander Broadie, British Journal for the History of Philosophy *Projection and Realism in Hume's Philosophy is a rich and valuable addition to Hume scholarship. The most welcome contribution of the work is the comprehensive picture of the sort of projection at work in Hume's philosophy informed by the systematic tracking of the various usages throughout his work. The line of research into the connection between projection, realism, and anti-realism is fruitful. The detailed and clever textual analysis coupled with the originality and boldness of many of the core theses ensures that Kail's book will remain both an indispensable reference and a source of inspiration for the future scholarly activities of Hume specialists. * Angela Coventry, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsPART I: RELIGION AND THE EXTERNAL WORLD; PART II: MODALITY, PROJECTION AND REALISM; PART III: VALUE, PROJECTION AND REALISM
£43.22
Oxford University Press The Normative Web
Book SynopsisAntirealist views about morality claim that moral facts or truths do not exist. Does this imply that other types of normative facts, such as epistemic facts, do not exist? The Normative Web develops a positive answer to this question. Terence Cuneo argues that moral and epistemic facts are sufficiently similar so that, if moral facts do not exist, then epistemic facts do not exist. But epistemic facts do exist: to deny their existence would commit us to an extreme version of epistemological scepticism. Therefore, Cuneo concludes, moral facts do exist. And if moral facts exist, then moral realism is true. It is sometimes said that moral realists rarely offer arguments for their position, settling instead for mere defenses of a view they find intuitively plausible. By contrast, The Normative Web provides not merely a defense of robust realism in ethics, but a positive argument for this position. In so doing, it engages with a range of antirealist positions in epistemology such as error tTrade ReviewReview from previous edition Terence Cuneo, someone already identified by those who have been paying attention as a young moral philosopher to watch, has written a splendid book...an important and engaging contribution to the metaethical literature. * James Lenman, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *The Normative Web is an important book, if for no other reason than it does something that is unfortunately all too rare in contemporary metaethics: it presents a very promising argument in favour of moral realism. * Daniel Star, Mind *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Moral Realism of a Paradigmatic Sort ; 2. Defending the Parallel ; 3. The Parity Premise ; 4. Epistemic Nihilism ; 5. Epistemic Expressivism: Traditional Views ; 6. Epistemic Expressivism: Nontraditional Views ; 7. Epistemic Reductionism ; 8. Three Objections to the Core Argument ; Bibliography
£41.79
Oxford University Press The Logic Manual
Book SynopsisThe Logic Manual is a clear and concise introduction to logic for beginning philosophy students. It offers a complete introductory course, guiding the reader carefully through the topics in logic that are most important for the study of philosophy. It covers propositional and predicate logic with and without identity. It includes an account of the semantics of these languages including definitions of truth and satisfaction. Natural deduction is used as a proof system. Volker Halbach introduces the essential concepts through examples and informal explanations as well as through abstract definitions. The Logic Manual provides the best entry to the general abstract way of thinking about language, logic, and semantics which is characteristic of contemporary philosophy. Exercises, examples, and sample examination papers are provided on an accompanying website.Table of Contents1. Sets, Relations, and Arguments ; 2. Syntax and Semantics of Propositional Logic ; 3. Formalisation in Propositional Logic ; 4. The Syntax of Predicate Logic ; 5. The Semantics of Predicate Logic ; 6. Natural Deduction ; 7. Formalisation in Predicate Logic ; 8. Identity and Definite Descriptions ; Natural Deduction Rules
£55.10
Oxford University Press, USA The Pragmatic Maxim
Book SynopsisChristopher Hookway presents a series of essays on the philosophy of Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1913), the ''founder of pragmatism'' and one of the most important and original American philosophers. Peirce made significant contributions to the development of formal logic and to the study of the normative standards we should follow in carrying out inquiries and enhancing our knowledge in science and mathematics. In The Pragmatic Maxim, Hookway explores Peirce''s writings on truth, science, and the nature of meaning, which have become steadily more influential over recent decades. He demonstrates how Peirce''s ideas can contribute to and inform philosophical understanding in debates that continue today.The first seven chapters explore the framework of Peirce''s thought, especially his fallibilism and his rejection of scepticism, and his contributions to the pragmatist understanding of truth and reality. Like Frege and Husserl, among others, Peirce rejected psychologism and used phenomeTrade Reviewwe should be grateful for Hookwayâs deeply illuminating analyses * Philip Kitcher, MIND *an excellent collection of eleven historical-philosophical studies of the philosophy of Charles Saunders Peirce... Hookways writing is clear and exact, and his thinking rigorous... in these essays [he] exemplifies enviable standards of historical and critical philosophical exposition... For anyone interested in the concept of knowledge, Hookway makes Peirces epistemology, philosophy of science and methodology of inquiry come alive. * Dale Jacquette, Journal for the History of Analytical Philosophy *Christopher Hookway is one of the very finest scholars of C. S. Peirce and the tradition he founded -- American pragmatism . . . These essays are required reading for anyone interested in Peirce or pragmatism . . . We are also treated to a magnificent introduction, which will serve as a primer for those who want to know the essentials . . . [an] excellent volume * Cheryl Misak, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgements ; Texts and abbreviations ; Introduction: The pragmatist maxim, the method of science, and representation ; 1. Peirce and scepticism ; 2. Fallibilism and the aim of inquiry ; 3. Truth, reality, and convergence ; 4. Normative logic and psychology: Peirce's rejection of psychologism ; 5. Interrogatives and uncontrollable abductions ; 6. 'The form of a relation': Peirce and mathematical structuralism ; 7. 'A sort of composite photograph': pragmatism, ideas, and schematism ; 8. Pragmatism and the given: C.I. Lewis, Quine, and Peirce ; 9. The principle of pragmatism: Peirce's formulations and illustrations ; 10. Logical principles and philosophical attitudes: Peirce's response to James's pragmatism ; 11. How Peirce argued for his pragmatist maxim ; Bibliography ; Index
£83.60
Oxford University Press Personal Agency
Book SynopsisPersonal Agency consists of two parts. In Part II, a radically libertarian theory of action is defended which combines aspects of agent causalism and volitionism. This theory accords to volitions the status of basic mental actions, maintaining that these are spontaneous exercises of the will--a ''two-way'' power which rational agents can freely exercise in the light of reason. Lowe contends that substances, not events, are the causal source of all change in the world--with rational, free agents like ourselves having a special place in the causal order as unmoved movers, or initiators of new causal chains. And he defends a thoroughgoing externalism regarding reasons for action, holding these to be mind-independent worldly entities rather than the beliefs and desires of agents. Part I prepares the ground for this theory by undermining the threat presented to it by physicalism. It does this by challenging the causal closure argument for physicalism in all of its forms and by showing that Trade ReviewI enjoyed and admire this book. The author boldly and intelligently takes a fresh look at numerous fundamental issues in philosophy of mind and metaphysics. * Randolph Clarke, Mind *Table of ContentsPART I: MENTAL CAUSATION, CAUSAL CLOSURE, AND EMERGENT DUALISM; PART II: PERSONS, RATIONAL ACTION, AND FREE WILL
£41.79
Oxford University Press, USA Mereology and Location
Book SynopsisA team of leading philosophers presents original work on theories of parthood and of location. Topics covered include how we ought to axiomatise our mereology, whether we can reduce mereological relations to identity or to locative relations, whether Mereological Essentialism is true, different ways in which entities persist through space, time, spacetime, and even hypertime, conflicting intuitions we have about space, and what mereology and propositions can tell us about one another. The breadth and accessibility of the papers make this volume an excellent introduction for those not yet working on these topics. Further, the papers contain important contributions to these central areas of metaphysics, and thus are essential reading for anyone working in the field.Trade ReviewUltimately, Mereology & Location offers detailed discussions of a wide range of topics which have been approached with an eye on connections to locative or mereological concerns. The bibliography at the end provides a good guide to the literature for further study across the topics covered. One underlying theme which arises in many of the contributions is persistence ... As such, those engaged in the debate over persistence may be especially likely to find many of the discussions in this volume valuable. The book is well edited and without exception the articles are clear, lively, and elegantly written--these features make the book all the more engaging. * Paul R. Daniels, The Philosophical Quarterly *This book is awesome in the same way that a new compendium to the Star Wars expanded universe would be to a super-fan: it feels like Christmas in hardback This volume is loaded with interesting papers of the highest quality. Virtually all of them directly engage with the question of the interaction between mereology and the spatial, temporal, and modal dimensionsThe number of original approaches, each worked out with careful (sometimes technical) precision, is striking. Formally inclined metaphysicians will love the book -- a "can't miss" for specialists. Even non-specialists will find something to like -- you'll just have to locate the right part * A. J. Cotnoir, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION ; MEREOLOGY ; 1. THE MANY PRIMITIVES OF MEREOLOGY ; 2. PARTHOOD IS IDENTITY ; 3. MEREOLOGY AND MODALITY ; MEREOLOGY AND LOCATION ; 4. WHERE IT'S AT: MODES OF OCCUPATION AND KINDS OF OCCUPANT ; 5. A SPATIAL APPROACH TO MEREOLOGY ; 6. BALLS AND ALL ; 7. CONFLICTING INTUITIONS ABOUT SPACE ; INTERACTION WITH OTHER TOPICS ; 8. TRANSHYPERTIME IDENTITY ; 9. PARTS OF PROPOSITIONS ; 10. MEREOLOGICAL SUMS AND SINGULAR TERMS ; Notes on the Contributors ; Bibliography ; Index
£74.10
Oxford University Press Truth as One and Many
Book SynopsisWhat is truth? Michael Lynch defends a bold new answer to this question. Traditional theories hold that all truths are true in the same way. More recent theories claim that the concept of truth is of no real importance. Lynch argues against both these extremes: truth is a functional property whose function can be performed in more than one way.Trade Reviewthis is truly a thought-provoking and admirable book. * Christine Tappolet, Mind *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Truisms ; 2. Truth as One ; 3. Truth as Many ; 4. Truth as One and Many ; 5. Deflationism and Explanation ; 6. Expanding the view: Semantic Functionalism ; 7. Truth and the Moral Fabric
£36.09
OUP Oxford The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Mind
Book SynopsisThe study of the mind has always been one of the main preoccupations of philosophers, and has been a booming area of research in recent decades, with remarkable advances in psychology and neuroscience. Oxford University Press now presents the most authoritative and comprehensive guide ever published to the philosophy of mind. An outstanding international team of contributors offer 45 specially written critical surveys of a wide range of topics relating to the mind. The first two sections cover the place of the mind in the natural world: its ontological status, how it fits into the causal fabric of the universe, and the nature of consciousness. The third section focuses on the much-debated subjects of content and intentionality. The fourth section examines a variety of mental capacities, including memory, imagination, and emotion. The fifth section looks at epistemic issues, in particular regarding knowledge of one''s own and other minds. The volume concludes with a section on self, perTable of ContentsI. THE PLACE OF MIND IN NATURE; II. THE NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE PLACE OF CONSCIOUSNES IN NATURE; III. INTENTIONALITY AND THEORIES OF MENTAL CONTENT; IV. SELF, UNITY OF CONSCIOUSNESS, AND PERSONAL IDENTITY; V. VARIETY OF MENTAL ABILITIES; VI. EPISTEMIC ISSUES
£38.94
Oxford University Press Hard Luck
Book SynopsisThe concept of luck has played an important role in debates concerning free will and moral responsibility, yet participants in these debates have relied upon an intuitive notion of what luck is. Neil Levy develops an account of luck, which is then applied to the free will debate. He argues that the standard luck objection succeeds against common accounts of libertarian free will, but that it is possible to amend libertarian accounts so that they are no more vulnerable to luck than is compatibilism. But compatibilist accounts of luck are themselves vulnerable to a powerful luck objection: historical compatibilisms cannot satisfactorily explain how agents can take responsibility for their constitutive luck; non-historical compatibilisms run into insurmountable difficulties with the epistemic condition on control over action. Levy argues that because epistemic conditions on control are so demanding that they are rarely satisfied, agents are not blameworthy for performing actions that theyTrade ReviewHard Luck is important and challenging. Some of the arguments it directs at varieties of compatibilism, especially those concerning control, should generate much useful discussion. And Levy brings empirical research to bear fruitfully on issues like the effects of unconscious attitudes. * Steven Sverdlik, Mind *[an] impressively wide-ranging book ... a no-frills and honest engagement with the issues by a creative philosopher, and it deserves to be read. * Neal A. Tognazzini, Australasian Journal of Philosophy *All in all, Hard Luck is good philosophy: informed, clear and controversial. * Brian Jonathan Garrett, Philosophy in Review, (2013), no. 3 *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements ; 1. Introduction ; 2. An Account of Luck ; 3. Luck and Libertarianism ; 4. The Luck Problem for Compatibilists ; 5. The Epistemic Dimensions of Control ; 6. Akratic Freedom? ; 7. The Retreat to the Inner Citadel ; 8. Quality Of Will Theories And History-Insensitive Compatibilism ; Bibliography ; Index
£75.05
Oxford University Press Hegelian Metaphysics
Book SynopsisThe great German idealist philosopher G. W. F. Hegel has exerted an immense influence on the development of philosophy from the early 19th century to the present. But the metaphysical aspects of his thought are still under-appreciated. In a series of essays Robert Stern traces the development of a distinctively Hegelian approach to metaphysics and certain central metaphysical issues. The book begins with an introduction that considers this theme as a whole, followed by a section of essays on Hegel himself. Stern then focuses on the way in which certain key metaphysical ideas in Hegel''s system, such as his doctrine of the ''concrete universal'' and his conception of truth, relate to the thinking of the British Idealists on the one hand, and the American Pragmatists on the other. The volume concludes by examining a critique of Hegel''s metaphysical position from the perspective of the ''continental'' tradition, and in particular Gilles Deleuze.Trade ReviewThere is no doubt that Stern is one of the best Hegel scholars currently around ... a remarkably competent and enormously resourceful analyst of what is living and dead in a metaphysical discourse which does not ostracize Hegel. * Rolf-Peter Horstmann, MIND *Table of ContentsPART ONE; PART TWO; PART THREE; PART FOUR
£50.35
Oxford University Press Many Worlds
Book SynopsisWhat does realism about the quantum state imply? What follows when quantum theory is applied without restriction, if need be, to the whole universe? These are the questions which an illustrious team of philosophers and physicists debate in this volume. All the contributors are agreed on realism, and on the need, or the aspiration, for a theory that unites micro- and macroworlds, at least in principle. But the further claim argued by some is that if you allow the Schrödinger equation unrestricted application, supposing the quantum state to be something physically real, then this universe is one of countlessly many others, constantly branching in time, all of which are real. The result is the many worlds theory, also known as the Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics.The contrary claim sees this picture of many worlds as in no sense inherent in quantum mechanics, even when the latter is allowed unrestricted scope and even given that the quantum state itself is something physically Trade ReviewThis book provides arguably the most vivid and comprehensive treatment of both state-of-the art developments within and criticism of the Everett interpretation. * Guido Bacciagaluppi, Metascience *Table of Contents1. WHY MANY WORLDS?; 2. PROBLEMS WITH ONTOLOGY; 3. PROBABILITY IN THE EVERETT INTERPRETATION; 4. CRITICAL REPLIES; 5. ALTERNATIVES TO MANY WORLDS; 6. NOT ONLY MANY WORLDS
£53.20
Oxford University Press, USA Definite Descriptions
Book SynopsisThis book argues that definite descriptions (''the table'', ''the King of France'') refer to individuals, as Gottlob Frege claimed. This apparently simple conclusion flies in the face of philosophical orthodoxy, which incorporates Bertrand Russell''s theory that definite descriptions are devices of quantification. Paul Elbourne presents the first fully-argued defence of the Fregean view. He builds an explicit fragment of English using a version of situation semantics. He uses intrinsic aspects of his system to account for the presupposition projection behaviour of definite descriptions, a range of modal properties, and the problem of incompleteness. At the same time, he draws on an unusually wide range of linguistic and philosophical literature, from early work by Frege, Peano, and Russell to the latest findings in linguistics, philosophy of language, and psycholinguistics. His penultimate chapter addresses the semantics of pronouns and offers a new and more radical version of his earlTrade Review... this book is an important contribution to the literature on definite descriptions, and sets a new standard for the discussion on this topic ... there is much to be learned from this work. * Elizabeth Coppock, Nordic Journal of Linguistics *Definite Descriptions is a master class in philosophical argument and empirical inquiry, covering an impressive number of relevant topics supported by convincing arguments. His engaging monograph is the first in the Oxford Studies in Semantics and Pragmatics series, and if these titles aim to explore new domains in linguistics and philosophy in a careful and original way, Elbournes thought-provoking study proves itself more than worthy of being first out of the gates. * Elliot Murphy, The Linguistic Review *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Introduction ; 2. Situation Semantics ; 3. The Definite Article ; 4. Presupposition ; 5. Referential and Attributive ; 6. Anaphora ; 7. Modality Existence Entailments ; 8. Existence Entailments ; 9. Incompleteness ; 10. Pronouns ; 11. Conclusion ; Bibliography ; Index
£116.38
Oxford University Press Mind Brain and Free Will
Book SynopsisMind, Brain, and Free Will presents a powerful new case for substance dualism (the theory that humans consist of two parts body and soul) and for libertarian free will (that humans have some freedom to choose between alternatives, independently of the causes which influence them). Richard Swinburne begins by analysing the criteria for one event or substance being the same event or substance as another one, and the criteria for an event being metaphysically possible; and then goes on to analyse the criteria for beliefs about these issues being rational or justified. Given these criteria, he then proceeds to argue that pure mental events (including conscious events) are distinct from physical events and interact with them. He claims that no result from neuroscience or any other science could show that there is no such interaction, and illustrates this claim by showing that recent scientific work (such as Libet''s experiments) has no tendency whatever to show that our intentions do not caTrade ReviewSwinburne's philosophical system certainly gives us much to think about. Even if one disagrees with Swinburne's conclusions, it is a task to locate which premise is mistaken and to clearly explain why. Swinburne's latest book makes it even more difficult to resist his views about the nature of human beings. * Ted Poston,Journal of Analytic Theology *Mind, Brain, and the Free Will is the latest in a prolific list of titles from the pen of Richard Swinburne, raising a host of fascinating issues, and there is a fair amount of thought provoking textual analysis in it. * Review of Contemporary Philosophy *This is an interesting and provocative book. It defends a view about human beings and their nature, which, for better or for worse, is a minority view nowadays among philosophers but which, as Swinburne points out, has probably been the "traditional majority Western view on these issues" . . . The scope of the book is especially impressive, and the picture it paints is powerful and suggestive * David Palmer, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Ontology ; 2. Epistemology ; 3. Property and Event Dualism ; 4. Interactive Dualism ; 5. Agent Causation ; 6. Substance Dualism ; 7. Free Will ; 8. Moral Responsibility ; Additional Notes ; Index
£35.14
Oxford University Press The Domain of Reasons
Book SynopsisThis book is about normativity and reasons. By the end, however, the subject becomes the relation between self, thought, and world. If we understand normativity, we are on the road to understanding this relation. John Skorupski argues that all normative properties are reducible to reason relations, so that the sole normative ingredient in any normative concept is the concept of a reason. This is a concept fundamental to all thought. It is pervasive (actions, beliefs, and sentiments all fall within its range), primitive (all other normative concepts are reducible to it), and constitutive of the idea of thought itself. Thinking is sensitivity to reasons. Thought in the full sense of autonomous cognition is possible only for a being sensitive to reasons and capable of deliberating about them. In Part II of the book Skorupski examines epistemic reasons, and shows that aprioricity, necessity, evidence, and probability, which may not seem to be normative at all, are in fact normative conceptTrade ReviewReview from previous edition as historically rich as it is philosophically illuminating ... on a par with the most significant books on reasons, normativity and the mind published in recent years. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsPART ONE THE STRUCTURE OF NORMATIVE CONCEPTS; PART TWO EPISTEMIC REASONS; PART THREE EVALUATIVE AND PRACTICAL REASONS; PART FOUR THE NORMATIVE VIEW
£53.20
Oxford University Press Causation and Laws of Nature in Early Modern Philosophy
Book SynopsisSome philosophers think physical explanations stand on their own: what happens, happens because things have the properties they do. Others think that any such explanation is incomplete: what happens in the physical world must be partly due to the laws of nature. Causation and Laws of Nature in Early Modern Philosophy examines the debate between these views from Descartes to Hume. Ott argues that the competing models of causation in the period grow out of the scholastic notion of power. On this Aristotelian view, the connection between cause and effect is logically necessary. Causes are ''intrinsically directed'' at what they produce. But when the Aristotelian view is faced with the challenge of mechanism, the core notion of a power splits into two distinct models, each of which persists throughout the early modern period. It is only when seen in this light that the key arguments of the period can reveal their true virtues and flaws. To make his case, Ott explores such central topics asTrade ReviewReview from previous edition a fascinating account of the development of theories of causation and laws of nature in the early modern period ... a great piece of scholarship covering an impressive array of figures. * Journal of the History of Philosophy *illuminating, rich and intriguing * Archiv fuer Geschichte der Philosophie *Table of ContentsPART I: THE CARTESIAN PREDICAMENT; PART II: THE DIALECTIC OF OCCASIONALISM; PART III: POWER AND NECESSITY; PART IV: HUME
£48.45
Oxford University Press Sounds and Perception
Book SynopsisSounds and Perception is a collection of original essays on auditory perception and the nature of sounds - an emerging area of interest in the philosophy of mind and perception, and in the metaphysics of sensible qualities. The individual essays discuss a wide range of issues, including the nature of sound, the spatial aspects of auditory experience, hearing silence, musical experience, and the perception of speech; a substantial introduction by the editors serves to contextualise the essays and make connections between them. This collection will serve both as an introduction to the nature of auditory perception and as the definitive resource for coverage of the main questions that constitute the philosophy of sounds and audition. The views are original, and there is substantive engagement among contributors. This collection will stimulate future research in this area.Trade ReviewThis collection of new essays exhibits the wide range of interesting questions concerning sounds and sound perception, some familiar from other sense modalities and others that are unique to audition, and should be of interest to both experts and newcomers to the study of auditory perception. * Brad Thompson, TPM *Table of Contents1. Introduction: the philosophy of sounds and auditory perception ; 2. Sounds and events ; 3. Sounds as secondary objects and pure events ; 4. Sounds and space ; 5. Some varieties of spatial hearing ; 6. The location of a perceived sound ; 7. Hearing silence: the perception and introspection of absences ; 8. The sound of music ; 9. Speech sounds and the direct meeting of minds ; 10. The Motor Theory of speech perception ; 11. Philosophical messages in the medium of spoken language ; Index
£36.09
Oxford University Press Necessary Beings
Book SynopsisNecessary Beings is concerned with two central areas of metaphysics: modality--the theory of necessity, possibility, and other related notions; and ontology--the general study of what kinds of entities there are. Bob Hale''s overarching purpose is to develop and defend two quite general theses about what is required for the existence of entities of various kinds: that questions about what kinds of things there are cannot be properly understood or adequately answered without recourse to considerations about possibility and necessity, and that, conversely, questions about the nature and basis of necessity and possibility cannot be satisfactorily tackled without drawing on what might be called the methodology of ontology. Taken together, these two theses claim that ontology and modality are mutually dependent upon one another, neither more fundamental than the other. Hale defends a broadly Fregean approach to metaphysics, according to which ontological distinctions among different kinds oTrade ReviewBob Hale's distinguished record of research places him among the most important and influential contemporary analytic metaphysicians. In his deep, wide-ranging, yet highly readable book Necessary Beings, Hale draws upon, but substantially integrates and extends, a good deal of his past research to produce a sustained and richly textured essay on - as promised in the subtitle - ontology, modality, and the relations between them. Christopher Menzel, Philosophia Mathematica [T]he essentialist theory presented in this book constitutes a significant contribution to an exciting research project concerning the relations between modality and essence. In addition, of course, Hale's development of the essentialist theory is only one aspect of the book's important contribution to central and fundamental topics concerning the nature of modality. Penelope Mackie, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews It is very a thorough book and Hale covers a lot of ground. It contains not only new research but also useful summaries of Hales views and overviews of the various positions he opposes or develops. Thus it is not only of interest to experts in the field, but it can also serve as an introduction to the topic to readers with a general knowledge of logic and metaphysics.Table of ContentsPreface and acknowledgements ; Introduction ; 1. Ontological preliminaries ; 2. The necessity of necessity ; 3. Irreducible modality ; 4. Absolute Modality ; 5. The Source of Logical Necessities ; 6. Metaphysical Necessities ; 7. Necessary beings: properties and numbers ; 8. Higher-order logics ; 9. Contingent beings ; 10. Possibilities ; 11. Essential knowledge ; Bibliography ; Index
£94.05
Oxford University Press Metaphysical Themes 12741671
Book SynopsisRobert Pasnau traces the developments of metaphysical thinking through four rich but for the most part neglected centuries of philosophy, running from the thirteenth century through to the seventeenth. At no period in the history of philosophy, other than perhaps our own, have metaphysical problems received the sort of sustained attention they received during the later Middle Ages, and never has a whole philosophical tradition come crashing down as quickly and completely as did scholastic philosophy in the seventeenth century. The thirty chapters work through various fundamental metaphysical issues, sometimes focusing more on scholastic thought, sometimes on the seventeenth century. Pasnau begins with the first challenges to the classical scholasticism of Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas, runs through prominent figures like John Duns Scotus and William Ockham, and ends in the seventeenth century, with the end of the first stage of developments in post-scholastic philosophy: on the continTrade ReviewReaders with a keen interest in metaphysics and a doughty historical stamina will find Pasnau's book rewarding. * Anthony Kenny, Times Literary Supplement *Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 is truly a magnificent achievement ...It contains historical scholarship and philosophical argumentation in a very well balanced mix in order to present the reader with a true sense of the historical position held as well as a subtle philosophical assessment of the correctness of these views. It is history of philosophy at its very best ...Pasnau's work is invaluable to anyone dealing with the history of this time period as well as anyone interested in the metaphysics of substance. * Henrik Lagerlund, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *an absolute must for all those interested either in medieval or in early modern philosophy, as well as a highly instructive and inspiring reading for contemporary students of metaphysics. * Claude Panaccio, Mind *Table of ContentsI. MATTER; II. SUBSTANCE; III. ACCIDENTS; IV. EXTENSION; V. QUALITY; VI. UNITY AND IDENTITY
£47.02
Oxford University Press Perception and its Objects
Book SynopsisBill Brewer presents, motivates, and defends a bold new solution to a fundamental problem in the philosophy of perception. What is the correct theoretical conception of perceptual experience, and how should we best understand the most fundamental nature of our perceptual relation with the physical objects in the world around us? Most theorists today analyse perception in terms of its representational content, in large part in order to avoid fatal problems attending the early modern conception of perception as a relation with particular mind-dependent objects of experience. Having set up the underlying problem and explored the lessons to be learnt from the various difficulties faced by opposing early modern responses to it, Bill Brewer argues that this contemporary approach has serious problems of its own. Furthermore, the early modern insight that perception is most fundamentally to be construed as a relation of conscious acquaintance with certain direct objects of experience is, he clTrade ReviewSetting aside the concern that OV is insufficiently continuous with the early modern conception of acquaintance, Brewers book is well worth reading for his extensive development of an original form of direct realism and of the relevance of such a view to related epistemological and phenomenological matters. * Kenneth Hobson, Philosophy in Review XXXIII (2013), no. 6 *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The Inconsistent Triad ; 2. Anti-Realism ; 3. Indirect Realism ; 4. The Content View ; 5. The Object View ; 6. Epistemology ; 7. Realism and Explanation
£27.62
Oxford University Press After Godel
Book SynopsisRichard Tieszen presents an analysis, development, and defense of a number of central ideas in Kurt Gödel''s writings on the philosophy and foundations of mathematics and logic. Tieszen structures the argument around Gödel''s three philosophical heroes - Plato, Leibniz, and Husserl - and his engagement with Kant, and supplements close readings of Gödel''s texts on foundations with materials from Gödel''s Nachlass and from Hao Wang''s discussions with Gödel. As well as providing discussions of Gödel''s views on the philosophical significance of his technical results on completeness, incompleteness, undecidability, consistency proofs, speed-up theorems, and independence proofs, Tieszen furnishes a detailed analysis of Gödel''s critique of Hilbert and Carnap, and of his subsequent turn to Husserl''s transcendental philosophy in 1959. On this basis, a new type of platonic rationalism that requires rational intuition, called ''constituted platonism'', is developed and defended. Tieszen showTrade ReviewTieszen has long been one of the bridge builders in contemporary philosophy, who is engaged by the philosophical issues and studies them with a broad background and an open mind. There is much to be learned by this, and I am eagerly looking forward to Tieszen's continuation of this interesting and very valuable work. * Dagfinn Follesda, Philosophia MathematicaJuliette Kennedy, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Setting the Stage ; 2. Consistency, and the Ascent to Platonic Rationalism ; 3. Godel's Path From Hilbert and Carnap to Husserl ; 4. A New Kind of Platonism ; 5. Consciousness, Reason, and Intentionality ; 6. Constituted Platonism, Reason, and Mathematical Knowledge ; 7. Minds and Machines ; 8. Reason, Science, and Evidence ; Bibliography ; Index
£39.89
Oxford University Press Making Sense of Freedom and Responsibility
Book SynopsisDana Kay Nelkin presents a simple and natural account of freedom and moral responsibility which responds to the great variety of challenges to the idea that we are free and responsible, before ultimately reaffirming our conception of ourselves as agents. Making Sense of Freedom and Responsibility begins with a defense of the rational abilities view, according to which one is responsible for an action if and only if one acts with the ability to recognize and act for good reasons. The view is compatibilist?that is, on the view defended, responsibility is compatible with determinism?and one of its striking features is a certain asymmetry: it requires the ability to do otherwise for responsibility when actions are blameworthy, but not when they are praiseworthy. In defending and elaborating the view, Nelkin questions long-held assumptions such as those concerning the relation between fairness and blame and the nature of so-called reactive attitudes such as resentment and forgiveness. Her aTrade Reviewthis profound book ... is exemplary for its rigorous examination and thought-provoking ideas and this is a must read for philosophy students and those interested in the theories of human freedom and responsibility. * Metapsychology Online Reviews *Nelkins discussions are interesting and clear. * Brian Jonathan Garrett, Philosophy in Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. A Rational Abilities View of Responsibility ; 2. Deep Assessment and Good Action ; 3. Abilities ; 4. A Compatibilist Account of Agent Causation ; 5. A Rationale for the Rational Abilities View: Praise, Blame, and the Ought Implies Can Principle ; 6. Deliberation and Alternatives ; 7. The Sense of Freedom, or Acting under the Idea of Freedom ; Concluding Thoughts ; Bibliography ; Index
£35.62
Oxford University Press Writing the Book of the World
Book SynopsisIn order to perfectly describe the world, it is not enough to speak truly. In this ambitious and ground-breaking book, Theodore Sider argues that for a representation to be fully successful, truth is not enough; the representation must also use the right concepts--concepts that ''carve at the joints''--so that its conceptual structure matches reality''s structure. There is an objectively correct way to ''write the book of the world''. According to Sider, metaphysics is primarily about fundamentality rather than necessity, conceptual analysis, or ontology. Fundamentality is understood in terms of structure: the fundamental truths are those truths that involve structural (joint-carving) concepts. Sider argues that part of the theory of structure is an account of how structure connects to other concepts. For example, structure can be used to illuminate laws of nature, explanation, reference, induction, physical geometry, substantivity, conventionality, objectivity, and metametaphysics. AnTrade ReviewSiders book is a great and important milestone in contemporary metaphysics. I highly recommend it to all metaphysicians, although the reader has a mountain to climb. The book is rich in complex arguments requiring careful study, whether you are a realist or a deflationist. * Laszlo Kocsis, Philosophy in Review *Two issues have been heavily debated in recent metaphysics: a revival of the old meta-question concerning the substantivity of (at least some) metaphysical debates, and the first-order question of what we might or should mean by metaphysical 'fundamentality.' Theodore Sider addresses these and related matters with great care, sophistication, clarity, and originality. . . . a terrific achievement: profound, rigorously systematic, and full of clarifying insights and arguments. * Timothy O'Connor and Nickolas Montgomery, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of Contents1. Structure ; 2. Primitivism ; 3. Connections ; 4. Substantivity ; 5. Metametaphysics ; 6. Beyond the predicate ; 7. Questions ; 8. Rivals ; 9. Ontology ; 10. Logic ; 11. Time ; 12. Modality ; 13. A Worldview ; References
£39.89
Oxford University Press One
Book SynopsisGraham Priest presents an original exploration of philosophical questions concerning the one and the many. He covers a wide range of issues in metaphysics--including unity, identity, grounding, mereology, universals, being, intentionality, and nothingness--and deploys the techniques of paraconsistent logic in order to offer a radically new treatment of unity. Priest brings together traditions of Western and Asian thought that are usually kept separate in academic philosophy: he draws on ideas from Plato, Heidegger, and Nagarjuna, among other philosophers.Trade ReviewA bracingly original treatise. The breadth and boldness of this work, as well as its technical rigor and historical sensitivity are very much to be admired. * Michael Price, Mind *If you are looking for a book doing something genuinely innovative, doing it with rigor, clarity, and a deep sensitivity to the breadth of philosophical tradition, then One is one for you. * Jason Turner, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online *In just 230 pages, One is a dense, remarkably clear, and unique treatment of a wide-range of topics in philosophy. What unifies the book is the topic of what unifies objects generally -- what Priest calls 'gluon theory' -- and allied themes in Buddhist thought. Gluon theory answers the question, What makes something one? What is it that 'glues' an object together into a unity? The impressive number of topics brought together by Priest's answer, which prominently services the fringe views for which he is well-known, speaks to its power and elegance. For this reason, One could also serve as a panoramic introduction to Priestâs work generally. * C. A. McIntosh, Philosophy in Review *Table of ContentsPART I: UNITY; PART II: IN PLATO'S TRAJECTORY; PART III: BUDDHIST THEMES
£80.74
Oxford University Press The Phenomenal Self
Book SynopsisBarry Dainton presents a fascinating new account of the self, the key to which is experiential or phenomenal continuity.Provided our mental life continues we can easily imagine ourselves surviving the most dramatic physical alterations, or even moving from one body to another. It was this fact that led John Locke to conclude that a credible account of our persistence conditions - an account which reflects how we actually conceive of ourselves - should be framed in terms of mental rather than material continuity. But mental continuity comes in different forms. Most of Locke''s contemporary followers agree that our continued existence is secured by psychological continuity, which they take to be made up of memories, beliefs, intentions, personality traits, and the like. Dainton argues that a better and more believable account can be framed in terms of the sort of continuity we find in our streams of consciousness from moment to moment. Why? Simply because provided this continuity is not Trade ReviewReview from previous edition not only unusually rich in its discussions of phenomenology and questions about the self, but also impressively honest. ... Barry Dainton has many insightful and important things to say. The bottom line is that anyone interested in such issues could not fail to learn a great deal from his lucid and ingenious arguments and proposals. * Raymond Martin, Times Literary Supplement *[F]or anyone interested in these issues the book is rich, interesting and full of provocative ideas. * William Uzgalis, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *a highly ambitious piece of philosophical work that covers a lot of ground ... It is written in a clear, straightforward and engaging style * David Mark Kovacs, Mind *Table of Contents1. Mind and Self ; 2. Phenomenal Unity ; 3. Phenomenal Continuity ; 4. Powers and Subjects ; 5. Alternatives ; 6. Minds and Mental Integration ; 7. Embodiment ; 8. Simple Selves ; 9. Holism ; 10. Modes of Incapacitation ; 11. Objections and Reductions ; 12. The Topology of the Self ; 13. Appendix: Reductionism
£44.64
Oxford University Press (UK) KANTS ELLIPTICAL PATH
Book SynopsisKant''s Elliptical Path explores the main stages and key concepts in the development of Kant''s Critical philosophy, from the early 1760s to the 1790s. Karl Ameriks provides a detailed and concise account of the main ways in which the later Critical works provide a plausible defence of the conception of humanity''s fundamental end that Kant turned to after reading Rousseau in the 1760s. Separate essays are devoted to each of the three Critiques, as well as to earlier notes and lectures and several of Kant''s later writings on history and religion. A final section devotes three chapters to post-Kantian developments in German Romanticism, accounts of tragedy up through Nietzsche, and contemporary philosophy. The theme of an elliptical path is shown to be relevant to these writers as well as to many aspects of Kant''s own life and work.The topics of the book include fundamental issues in epistemology and metaphysics, with a new defense of the Amerik''s ''moderate'' interpretation of transTrade ReviewKant's Elliptical Path is an impressive work of philosophical interpretation. * Uygar Abaci, The Philosophical Quarterly, *Table of ContentsPART I. BEFORE THE CRITIQUES: KANT'S SELF-RECOVERY; PART II. KANT'S CRITIQUES; FIRST SECTION. THE FIRST CRITIQUE (1781, 1787) AND REALITY; SECOND SECTION. THE SECOND CRITIQUE (1788) AND MORALITY; THIRD SECTION. THE THIRD CRITIQUE (1790) AND PURPOSE; PART III. AFTER THE CRITIQUES
£44.17
Oxford University Press Oxford Studies in Agency and Responsibility Volume 1
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£37.52
Oxford University Press Writing the Book of the World
Book SynopsisIn order to perfectly describe the world, it is not enough to speak truly. In this ambitious and ground-breaking book, Theodore Sider argues that for a representation to be fully successful, truth is not enough; the representation must also use the right concepts-concepts that ''carve at the joints''-so that its conceptual structure matches reality''s structure. There is an objectively correct way to ''write the book of the world''.Sider''s argument begins from the assertion that metaphysics is about the fundamental structure of reality. Not about what''s necessarily true; not about what properties are essential; not about conceptual analysis; and not about what there is. While inquiry into necessity, essence, concepts, or ontology might help to illuminate reality''s structure, the ultimate goal is insight into this structure. Sider argues that part of the theory of structure is an account of how structure connects to other concepts. For example, structure can be used to illuminate lawTrade ReviewTwo issues have been heavily debated in recent metaphysics: a revival of the old meta-question concerning the substantivity of (at least some) metaphysical debates, and the first-order question of what we might or should mean by metaphysical 'fundamentality.' Theodore Sider addresses these and related matters with great care, sophistication, clarity, and originality. . . . a terrific achievement: profound, rigorously systematic, and full of clarifying insights and arguments. * Timothy O'Connor and Nickolas Montgomery, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Sider works through an impressie list of philosophical problems and shows in each case how the idea of basic structure can help us address them ... there is much to applaud in this fascinating book. * A.W. Moore, London Review of Books *Siders book is a great and important milestone in contemporary metaphysics. I highly recommend it to all metaphysicians, although the reader has a mountain to climb. The book is rich in complex arguments requiring careful study, whether you are a realist or a deflationist. * László Kocsis, Philosophy in Review XXXIII *Table of Contents1. Structure ; 2. Primitivism ; 3. Connections ; 4. Substantivity ; 5. Metametaphysics ; 6. Beyond the predicate ; 7. Questions ; 8. Rivals ; 9. Ontology ; 10. Logic ; 11. Time ; 12. Modality ; 13. A Worldview ; References
£80.74