Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology Books

Book SynopsisCourageous scientists challenge the dominant paradigm of reality. Why are they so brave and what does their research reveal? What is reality? Is there more than we know from our five senses? Vanguard scientists believe there is more than we see so they formulate a non-materialist paradigm that expands human potential, to include mind and matter interaction. Since going against the dominant worldview provokes opposition, this book explores the personal backgrounds of the scientists to find out why they are so courageous. We learn that there is another dimension that allows for enhanced abilities. Based on interviews conducted by Gayle Kimball, The Mysteries of Reality: Dialogues with Visionary Scientists reports on the current research and personal characteristics of visionaries from around the world.

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Book SynopsisSolidly grounded in Chinese primary sources, Neo Confucianism: Metaphysics, Mind, and Morality engages the latest global scholarship to provide an innovative, rigorous, and clear articulation of neo-Confucianism and its application to Western philosophy.Trade Review"This book is clearly one of the greatest accomplishments among English Neo-Confucian philosophical studies in recent decades. JeeLoo Liu uses clear language and rigorous philosophical reasoning to analyze eight pivotal Neo-Confucian figures regarding three major areas: metaphysics, moral theory and moral practice. The book can be aptly used as both an introduction to Neo-Confucianism for beginners and a top reference for researchers, which is itself a rare achievement."Reviewed by Bin Song, Washington CollegeNotre Dame Philosophical Reviews, March 2019Table of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 Part I Neo]Confucian Metaphysics: From Cosmology to Ontology 29 1 From Nothingness to Infinity: The Origin of Zhou Dunyi's Cosmology 31 2 The Basic Constituent of Things: Zhang Zai's Monist Theory of Qi 61 3 Cheng–Zhu School's Normative Realism: The Principle of the Universe 85 4 Wang Fuzhi's Theory of Principle Inherent in Qi 103 Part II Human Nature, Human Mind, and the Foundation of Human Morality 123 5 Zhu Xi's Internal Moral Realism: Human Nature Is Principle 125 6 Lu Xiangshan and Wang Yangming's Doctrine of Mind Is Principle 139 7 Wang Fuzhi's Theory of Daily Renewal of Human Nature and His Moral Psychology 157 Part III The Cultivation of Virtue, Moral Personality, and the Construction of a Moral World 181 8 Zhang Zai on Cultivating Moral Personality 183 9 The Cheng Brothers' Globaist Virtue Ethics and Virtue Epistemology 205 10 Zhu Xi's Methodology for Cultivating Sagehood: Moral Cognitivism and Ethical Rationalism 227 11 Wang Yangming';s Intuitionist Model of Innate Moral Sense and Moral Reflexivism 245 12 Constructing a Moral World: Wang Fuzhi's Social Sentimentalism 265 References 285 Index 301

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a rich introduction to Heidegger that reveals Poggeler's sound scholarship and philosophical criticism.

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Book Synopsis"Paradigms for a Metaphorology may be read as a kind of beginner''s guide to Blumenberg, a programmatic introduction to his vast and multifaceted oeuvre. Its brevity makes it an ideal point of entry for readers daunted by the sheer bulk of Blumenberg''s later writings, or distracted by their profusion of historical detail. Paradigms expresses many of Blumenberg''s key ideas with a directness, concision, and clarity he would rarely match elsewhere. What is more, because it served as a beginner's guide for its author as well, allowing him to undertake an initial survey of problems that would preoccupy him for the remainder of his life, it has the additional advantage that it can offer us a glimpse into what might be called the ''genesis of the Blumenbergian world.'"from the Afterword by Robert SavageWhat role do metaphors play in philosophical language? Are they impediments to clear thinking and clear expression, rhetorical flourishes that may well help to make philosophy more accessible to a lay audience, but that ought ideally to be eradicated in the interests of terminological exactness? Or can the images used by philosophers tell us more about the hopes and cares, attitudes and indifferences that regulate an epoch than their carefully elaborated systems of thought?In Paradigms for a Metaphorology, originally published in 1960 and here made available for the first time in English translation, Hans Blumenberg (19201996) approaches these questions by examining the relationship between metaphors and concepts. Blumenberg argues for the existence of "absolute metaphors" that cannot be translated back into conceptual language. These metaphors answer the supposedly naïve, theoretically unanswerable questions whose relevance lies quite simply in the fact that they cannot be brushed aside, since we do not pose them ourselves but find them already posed in the ground of our existence. They leap into a void that concepts are unable to fill.An afterword by the translator, Robert Savage, positions the book in the intellectual context of its time and explains its continuing importance for work in the history of ideas.Trade ReviewParadigms for a Metaphorology is a model of scholarly translation. Savage's handling of citations and sources is scrupulous and thorough.... And he provides judicious explanatory notes that work in conjunction with the afterword and Blumenberg's own notes to guide readers through Blumenberg's own reading and career. Finally, and most importantly, his English rendering is consistently accurate while also being, in the context of translations of German philosophy, remarkably readable.... In short, readers approaching Blumenberg's reflections on metaphor through the English language could not ask for a more reliable and helpful guide than this volume. -- David Adams * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of ContentsHans Blumenberg: An Introduction Part I: History, Secularization, and Reality 1. The Linguistic Reality of Philosophy (1946/1947) 2. World Pictures and World Models (1961) 3. "Secularization": Critique of a Category of Hisotrical Illegitimacy (1964) 4. The Concept of Reality and the Theory of the State (1968/1969) 5. Preliminary Remarks on the Concept of Reality (1974) Part II: Metaphors, Rhetoric, and Nonconceptuality 6. Light as a Metaphor for Truth: At the Preliminary Stage of Philosophical Concept Formation (1957) 7. Introduction to Paradigms for a Metaphorology (1960) 8. An Anthropological Approach to the Contemporary Significance of Rhetoric (1971) 9. Observations Drawn from Metaphors (1971) 10. Prospect for a Theory of Nonconceptuality (1979) 11. Theory of Nonconceptuality (circa 1975, excerpt) Part III: Nature, Technology, and Asthetics 12. The Relationship between Nature and Technology as a Philosophical Problem (1951) 13. "Imitation of Nature": Toward a Prehistory of the Idea of the Creative Being (1957) 14. Phenomenological Aspects on Life-World and Technization (1963) 15. Socrates and the objet ambigu: Paul Valery's Discussion of the Ontology of the Aesthetic Object and Its Tradition (1964) 16. The Essential Ambiguity of the Aesthetic Object (1966) 17. Speech Situation and Immanent Poetics (1966) Part IV: Fables, Anecdotes, and the Novel 18. The Absolute Father (1952/1953) 19. The Mythos and Ethos of America in the Work of William Faulkner (1958) 20. The Concept of Reality and the Possibility of the Novel (1964) 21. Pensiveness (1980) 22. Moments of Goethe (1982) 23. Beyond the Edge of Reality: Three Short Essays (1983) 24. Of Nonunderstanding: Glosses on Three Fables (1984) 25. Unknown Aesopica: From Newly Found Fables (1985) 26. Advancing into Eternal Silence: A Century after the Sailing of the Fram (1993)

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Book SynopsisThis advanced introductory text offers a synoptic view of philosophical inquiry, discussing such topics as consciousness, the self, meaning, free will, the a priori, and knowledge. The emphasis is on the fundamental intractability of these questions, and a theory is proposed as to why the human mind has so much difficulty in resolving them. This theory turns upon a naturalistic picture of the scope and limits of human intelligence.Trade Review"In my view, this is an admirable book. It is concise, well organized, and clearly and vigorously written. It presents a real solution to a real and extremely important problem. It is perhaps the only solution to this problem that is currently available." Peter Van Inwagen, The Philosophical Review "Colin McGinn's thoughts about the nature and state of philosophical inquiry are lucid and suggestive, and, in my personal opinion, on the right track. They merit careful reading, and should place many of the fundamental questions of our intellectual tradition in a new and more wholesome light." Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyTable of Contents1. Philosophical Perplexity. 2. Consciousness. 3. Self. 4. Meaning. 5. Free Will. 6. The A Priori. 7. Knowledge. 8. Reason, Truth and Philosophy. 9. The Future of Philosophy.

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Book SynopsisMetaphysicsthe philosophical study of the nature of realityis a dynamic sub-field which encompasses many of the most fundamental and elusive questions in contemporary analytic philosophy.A concise and focused introduction to contemporary metaphysics,Thisis Metaphysics: An Introductiontakes readers with minimal technical knowledge of the field on a guided tour of the intellectual landscape of the discipline. Approachable and engaging, the book covers a broad range of key topics and principles in metaphysics, including classification, the nature and existence of properties, ontology, the nature of possibility and necessity, and fundamental questions concerning being and existence. Each chapter challenges readers to grapple with thought-provoking examples that build upon the seminal theoretical contributions of contemporary metaphysicians like Peter van Inwagen and David Lewis, and concludes with a Doing Metaphysics section encouraging readers to think through substantive metaphysical questions while weighing possible arguments and objections. A thoughtful and comprehensive introduction provides a framework for author Kris McDaniel's pedagogical approach, and each section incorporates multi-platform online resources and plentiful footnotes to support further reading and deeper conceptual engagement. A welcome addition to the popularThis is Philosophyseries,This is Metaphysicsis a reader-friendly survey of metaphysics for philosophy majors, undergraduates in introductory philosophy courses, and curious members of the general public interested in investigating this expansive and enigmatic area of study. Table of ContentsAn Introduction to This is Metaphysics 1 0.1 Who is This Book for? 1 0.2 Philosophy, Including Metaphysics, is for Everyone 6 0.3 An Overview of Metaphysics and Other Areas of Philosophy 6 0.4 Remarks for Instructors 12 0.5 Acknowledgments 13 1 Classification 14 1.1 Introduction 14 1.2 Two Kinds of Classification 15 1.3 Classification Confusions 18 1.4 Do Things Objectively Belong Together? 22 1.5 Two Questions about Classification 28 1.6 Classification and Properties 30 1.7 Doing Metaphysics 32 Further Reading 33 2 Properties 34 2.1 Introduction to the Metaphysics of Properties 34 2.2 Are Properties Theoretical Posits? 37 2.3 Issues in Language: Reference to Properties in Ordinary Speech 40 2.4 More Issues in Language: Properties as the Referents of Predicates 44 2.5 Issues in Metaphysics: Causation 46 2.6 Issues in Metaphysics: The Ontology of Events 47 2.7 Issues in Metaphysics: The Ontology of Material Objects 51 2.8 Tropes, Universals, and States of Affairs 54 2.9 Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties 57 2.10 Perceptual Qualities 65 2.11 Doing Metaphysics 70 Further Reading 71 3 Parts and Wholes 72 3.1 Introduction 72 3.2 The Sufficiently Stuck Together Theory 74 3.3 The Mind‐Dependence Theory of Composition 78 3.4 Life is the Answer? 85 3.5 Vagueness 87 3.6 Vagueness and Composition 92 3.7 A Radical Answer to the Special Composition Question: Compositional Nihilism 97 3.8 Another Radical Answer: Compositional Universalism 103 3.9 Other Questions about Parts and Wholes 106 3.10 Doing Metaphysics 111 Further Reading 112 4 Possibility and Necessity 113 4.1 Introduction 113 4.2 Different Kinds of Possibility and Necessity 115 4.3 The Idea of Possible Worlds 118 4.4 A Case for Possible Worlds 120 4.5 Some Theories of the Nature of Possible Worlds 126 4.6 An Alternative Theory of Possible Worlds: Propositions First 135 4.7 Another Alternative Theory of Possible Worlds: Primitive Possible Objects 139 4.8 Accidental and Essential Features 142 4.9 Theories of Possible Worlds and Theories of Essential Features 147 4.10 Doing Metaphysics 151 Further Reading 152 5 Time 153 5.1 Introduction to the Philosophy of Time 153 5.2 Methodological Issues in the Philosophy of Time 156 5.3 The Container View vs. the Relationalist View 161 5.4 Does Time Itself Change? 169 5.5 Time and Reasonable Emotions 175 5.6 How Do Things Persist through Time? 179 5.7 Doing Metaphysics 189 Further Reading 189 6 Freedom 190 6.1 Freedom and Why it Might Matter 190 6.2 The Static View and Freedom 192 6.3 Causal Determinism and Freedom 194 6.4 Compatibilism: Alternative Possibilities Compatibilism 197 6.5 Compatibilism 2: No Constraints Compatibilism 200 6.6 Indeterminism 203 6.7 Laws of Nature 205 6.8 Doing Metaphysics 212 Further Reading 212 7 Meta‐Metaphysics 214 7.1 Getting More Meta 214 7.2 The Epistemology of Metaphysics 215 7.3 The Philosophy of Language of Metaphysics 227 7.4 The Metaphysics of Metaphysics 235 7.5 The Ethics of Metaphysics 243 7.6 Doing Metaphysics 254 Further Reading 254 Glossary 256 Index 264

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Book SynopsisBased on over a decade of ethnographic fieldwork in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Onscreen/Offscreen is an exploration of the politics and being of filmic images. The book examines contestations inside and outside the Tamil film industry over the question "what is an image?" Answers to this question may be found in the ontological politics that take place on film sets, in theatre halls, and in the social fabric of everyday life in South India, from populist electoral politics and the gendering of social space to caste uplift and domination.Bridging and synthesizing linguistic anthropology, film studies, visual studies, and media anthropology, Onscreen/Offscreen rethinks key issues across a number of fields concerned with the semiotic constitution of social life, from the performativity and ontology of images to questions of spectatorship, realism, and presence. In doing so, it offers both a challenge to any approach that would separate image from social Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Note on Transliteration, Quotation, Names, and Transcripts Introduction: Ontological Politics of the Image Introduction From Ontologies to Ontological Politics Toward a Linguistic Anthropology of Cinema A Brief History of Tamil Cinema For a “Tamil” Cinema Realism and the Mass Hero Overview of the Chapters Part I: Presence/Representation 1. The Hero’s Mass Introduction Presence of the Film Image Gravity of the Hero’s Mass Presence of Mass Image-Act of the Slaps Sociological Realism of the Mass Hero’s Image Aesthetic Realism and the Event of the Slaps Ambivalent Realisms Authorizing the Slaps, or the Principal of Animation Conclusion 2. The Heroine’s Stigma Introduction Item’s Interruption Item’s Titillation Item’s Spectacle Ontological Politics of Sexual Difference Actness of the Image Politics of Vision Explicitness of Performativity Voyeurism and Exhibitionism in 7/G Rainbow Colony Kinship Chronotopes and Sociological Traces of the Performativity of Presence Marriage and Not-to-be-looked-at-ness An Alien Presence Conclusion Epilogue Part II: Representation/Presence 3. The Politics of Parody Introduction Anti-Cine-Politics of Thamizh Padam A Politics of (Im/possible) Worlds Chronopolitics For Another Kind of Image For a Less Serious Industry A Politics of Production The Politics for an Image Conclusion 4. The Politics of the Real Introduction Questions of Realism Register of Realism Enregistering Realism in Tamil Cinema Kaadhal (“Love”) Realism’s Heroism This Is a True Story Representing Taboo Caste and Sexuality in Kaadhal Frustrated Textuality and Sexual Reference Production Format of Realism New Faces and the Director’s Image Realism’s Illiberal Extimacy and the Suspension of Belief Conclusion Conclusions An End of an Era Killing the Mass Hero Performativity Representation and the Method Theory of a Linguistic Anthropology of Cinema For a Linguistic Anthropology of … Notes Interviews and Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisA core philosophical project is the attempt to uncover the fundamental nature of reality, the limited set of facts upon which all other facts depend. Perhaps the most popular theory of fundamental reality in contemporary analytic philosophy is physicalism, the view that the world is fundamentally physical in nature. The first half of this book argues that physicalist views cannot account for the evident reality of conscious experience, and hence that physicalism cannot be true. Unusually for an opponent of physicalism, Goff argues that there are big problems with the most well-known arguments against physicalismChalmers'' zombie conceivability argument and Jackson''s knowledge argumentand proposes significant modifications. The second half of the book explores and defends a recently rediscovered theory of fundamental realityor perhaps rather a grouping of such theoriesknown as ''Russellian monism.'' Russellian monists draw inspiration from a couple of theses defended by Bertrand RusselTrade ReviewThis book is an interesting and energetic exploration of Russellian monism, a position in philosophy of mind that has gained considerable attention in recent years because it promises to move us beyond the physicalist-dualist stand-off ... the book is honest, unflinching, imaginative and argumentative; in other words, a very good philosophy book. * Daniel Stoljar, Notre Dame Philosophical Review *This book contains some of the most important contributions to the metaphysics of consciousness in recent years. Philip Goff develops a sophisticated argument against materialism, and then explores the prospects for radical alternatives in considerable depth. He makes a strong case for panpsychism, the thesis that consciousness exists at a fundamental level of physical reality, and extends this to a case for cosmopsychism, the thesis that the universe as a whole is conscious. Anyone interested in the philosophical problem of consciousness should pay close attention to his ideas." —David Chalmers, New York University, and series editor, Philosophy of Mind series (OUP)Goff has produced a grand piece of speculative metaphysics, in the tradition of Leibniz, Spinoza and Unger. It is also probably the best single piece of work emerging from the recent bloom of interest in Russellian monist views of consciousness. Starting with plausible and well-defended premises, he argues for a daring conclusion that many will find difficult to accept; yet, he makes a compelling case that there is no easy way to resist it. Figuring out how to respond to his rigorous and thorough arguments will be highly instructive (and fun!) for anyone with an interest in metaphysically-oriented philosophy of mind." —Geoffrey Lee, University of California, BerkeleyThis book will quickly become a reference point for philosophical discussions of consciousness. Philip Goff lays out the issues with precision and cuts through to the heart of the latest philosophical technicalities. He also writes beautifully and advances a number of strikingly novel theses. No philosopher interested in consciousness can afford to ignore Consciousness and Fundamental Reality." —David Papineau, King's College London and the City University of New York Graduate CenterIn an era of increasing specialization and 'small ball' philosophy, Philip Goff's Consciousness and Fundamental Reality comes as a welcome antidote. He defends a grand metaphysical vision of the world, constitutive cosmopsychism, according to which the universe as a whole is conscious, and everything else is grounded in its evolving conscious state. Yes, this view is revisionary. But all views on the mind-body problem are revisionary including orthodox physicalism. Goff develops a number of powerful arguments against the alternatives as well as a positive case for his cosmopsychism. His discussion demands and will repay our close attention." —Adam Pautz, Brown UniversityTable of Contents1. The reality of consciousness Part I: Against physicalism 2. What is physicalism? 3. The knowledge argument 4. The conceivability argument 5. Revelation and the transparency argument Part II: Russellian monism: An alternative 6. The elegant solution 7. Panpsychism versus panprotopsychism, and the subject-summing problem 8. Top-down combination problems 9. A conscious universe 10. Analytic phenomenology: A metaphysical manifesto

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Book SynopsisImmanuel Kant's Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals is widely regarded as one of the most influential works in the history of moral philosophy. Indeed, any student of ethics will soon encounter a translation of the book, although trying to read it is likely to cause bewilderment. What, one may ask, is Kant trying to say? This book provides the answers. Here, seven highly regarded teachers and scholars of Kant's ethics offer remarkably clear explanations of the most important concepts in the Groundwork: the good will, happiness, duty, hypothetical and categorical imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law, the Formula of Humanity, and freedom.Contents: Preface The Good Will, Nataliya Palatnik Happiness, Anne Margaret Baxley Duty, Laura Papish Imperatives, Tamar Schapiro The Formula of Universal Law, Kyla Ebels-Duggan The Formula of Humanity, Japa Pallikkathayil Freedom, Lucy Allais About the Contributors Index Trade Review“This is the rare guide to Kant’s Groundwork suitable even for students new to philosophy. The clear, concise chapters focus on only the most essential concepts from all three sections of the Groundwork. The authors expertly illuminate Kant’s ethical thought and facilitate engagement with the text.” —Lara Denis, Agnes Scott College“A collection of beautifully clear and concise essays on Kant’s most famous ethical work, each written by an outstanding scholar. The crucial ideas of the Groundwork are expertly explained in ways that are both philosophically rich and reader friendly. This volume is an invaluable companion for any student or teacher of Kantian ethics.” —Karen Stohr, Georgetown University“A wonderfully clear and concise philosophical introduction to Kant’s seminal ethical treatise.” —Jens Timmermann, University of St AndrewsTable of ContentsPreface; The Good Will, Nataliya Palatnik; Happiness, Anne Margaret Baxley ;Duty, Laura Papish; Imperatives, Tamar Schapiro; The Formula of Universal Law, Kyla Ebels-Duggan; The Formula of Humanity, Japa Pallikkathayil; Freedom, Lucy Allais; About the Contributors; Index.

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Book SynopsisWe often think of people as falling into one of two very different categories: those into science, math, and engineering; or into history, philosophy, and literature. Haufe reveals the unexpected unity underlying different disciplinary efforts to understand our experiences. He makes a vital contribution to wider debates about knowledge-generation.Trade Review'Constantly interesting and engagingly written, this timely book is destined to generate a lot of interest, both inside and outside academia.' Peter Vickers, Durham University'Many books denounce or praise the humanities. Only a few tell us how they work. In this elegant, witty, sometimes paradoxical book, informed by deep knowledge of the history of science, Chris Haufe shows that the humanities can and do produce powerful knowledge. He also argues that they could create much more of it if scholars and funders understood how communities and disciplines frame productive inquiries.' Anthony Grafton, Princeton UniversityTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. 'What would the community think?'; 3. Canon and consensus; 4. Knowing what matters; 5. In defense of how things seem; 6. Reading what lies within; 7. Humanities victorious?; 8. Of interest; 9. The hoax and the humanities.

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Book SynopsisThis 2nd edition Handbook of Spinoza retains a unique focus on the biographical details of Spinoza's life, as well as essential scholarship on his influences and early critics. A glossary of key Latin Spinozan terms with English translations remains a key feature alongside short synopses of Spinoza's writings. Adding to the updated contemporary scholarship on Spinoza from across Europe and the US is the recognition of Spinoza's influence more globally.Distinct from other reference works on Spinoza, this book offers the tools and methodology necessary for students and scholars who are completing their own research. Accompanying each main section is an updated and detailed bibliography that situates both the summative and original scholarship therein. This 2nd edition includes a revised biography from Jeroen van de Ven who has systematically revisited the archive; influences will now include reference to Machiavelli and Hobbes primarily, as well as remarks on the De La Court b

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Book SynopsisAlfred North Whitehead has never gone out of print, but for a time he was decidedly out of fashion in the English-speaking world. In a splendid work that serves as both introduction and erudite commentary, Isabelle Stengersone of today's leading philosophers of sciencegoes straight to the beating heart of Whitehead's thought. The product of thirty years' engagement with the mathematician-philosopher's entire canon, this volume establishes Whitehead as a daring thinker on par with Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari, and Michel Foucault. Reading the texts in broadly chronological order while highlighting major works, Stengers deftly unpacks Whitehead's often complicated language, explaining the seismic shifts in his thinking and showing how he called into question all that philosophers had considered settled after Descartes and Kant. She demonstrates that the implications of Whitehead's philosophical theories and specialized knowledge of the various sciences come yoked with his innovative,

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Book SynopsisHumans are extraordinary creatures, with the unique ability among animals to imitate and so copy from one another ideas, habits, skills, behaviours, inventions, songs, and stories. These are all memes, a term first coined by Richard Dawkins in 1976 in his book The Selfish Gene. Memes, like genes, are replicators, and this enthralling book is an investigation of whether this link between genes and memes can lead to important discoveries about the nature of the inner self. Confronting the deepest questions about our inner selves, with all our emotions, memories, beliefs, and decisions, Susan Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that the inner self is merely an illusion created by the memes for the sake of replication.Trade ReviewAnyone who hopes or fears that memetics will become a science of culture will find this surefooted exploration of the prospects a major eye-opener. * Daniel Dennett *Any theory deserves to be given its best shot, and that is what Susan Blackmore has given the theory of the meme I am delighted to recommend her book. * Richard Dawkins *

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Book SynopsisNow in its third edition, Philosophy of Language: A Contemporary Introduction introduces students to the main issues and theories in twenty-first-century philosophy of language, focusing specifically on linguistic phenomena. Author William G. Lycan structures the book into four general parts. Part I, Reference and Referring, includes topics such as Russell''s Theory of Descriptions (and its objections), Donnellan''s distinction, problems of anaphora, the Description Theory of proper names, Searle''s Cluster Theory, and the Causal-Historical Theory. Part II, Theories of Meaning, surveys the competing theories of linguistic meaning and compares their various advantages and liabilities. Part III, Pragmatics and Speech Acts, introduces the basic concepts of linguistic pragmatics and includes a detailed discussion of the problem of indirect force. Part IV, The Expressive and the Figurative, examines various forms of expressive language and what metaphorical meaning is aTrade Review"An authoritative, pedagogically sensitive and superbly clear introduction to the central issues of the philosophy of language."Paul Boghossian, New York University, USA"An authoritative, pedagogically sensitive and superbly clear introduction to the central issues of the philosophy of language."Paul Boghossian, New York University, USATable of Contents1. Introduction: Meaning and Reference Part 1: Reference and Referring 2. Definite Descriptions 3. Proper Names: The Description Theory 4. Proper Names: Direct Reference and the Causal–Historical Theory Part II: Theories of Meaning 5. Traditional Theories of Meaning 6. "Use" Theories 7. Psychological Theories: Grice's Program 8. Verificationism 9. Truth-Condition Theories: Davidson's Program 10. Truth-Condition Theories: Possible Worlds and Intensional Semantics Part III: Pragmatics and Speech Acts 11. Semantic Pragmatics 12. Speech Acts and Illocutionary Force 13. Implicative Relations Part IV: The Expressive and the Figurative 14. Expressive Language 15. Metaphor Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisLooking mainly at Derrida's early work and the philosophy of speculative realists Karen Barad, Catherine Malabou and Quentin Meillassoux, Deborah Goldgaber opens the conversation between deconstruction and speculative realism.

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Book SynopsisThis is the sequel to ''The Custodians''. The book contains some of the more complicated concepts in Metaphysics that Dolores Cannon discovered through twenty years of using deep hypnosis to explore the subconscious mind. Some of the topics explored in this book: The origin, knowledge and destruction of Atlantis; The explanations of Earth mysteries, including -- the Pyramids, Easter Island, the Bermuda Triangle, the Ark of the Covenant, Loch Ness Monster, Nazca Lines; Characteristics of other Planets, Parallel Universes, Parallel Lifetimes and Realities; Other Dimensions and much more. This book is intended for those readers who want their minds expanded by the more complicated Metaphysical ideas that border on ''Quantum Physics''.

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Book SynopsisA Treatise of the Laws of Nature, originally titled De Legibus Naturae, first appeared in 1672 as a theoretical response to a range of issues that came together during the late 1660s. It conveyed a conviction that science might offer an effective means of demonstrating both the contents and the obligatory force of the law of nature. At a time when Hobbes's work appeared to suggest that the application of science undermined rather than supported the idea of obligatory natural law, Cumberland's De Legibus Naturae provided a scientific explanation of the natural necessity of altruism. Through his argument for a moral obligation to natural law, Cumberland made a critical intervention in the early debate over the role of natural jurisprudence at a moment when the natural law project was widely suspected of heterodoxy and incoherence. This is the first modern edition of A Treatise of the Laws of Nature, based on John Maxwell's English translation of 1727. The edition includes Maxwell's exten

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Book SynopsisA Treatise of the Laws of Nature, originally titled De Legibus Naturae, first appeared in 1672 as a theoretical response to a range of issues that came together during the late 1660s. It conveyed a conviction that science might offer an effective means of demonstrating both the contents and the obligatory force of the law of nature. At a time when Hobbes''s work appeared to suggest that the application of science undermined rather than supported the idea of obligatory natural law, Cumberland''s De Legibus Naturae provided a scientific explanation of the natural necessity of altruism. Through his argument for a moral obligation to natural law, Cumberland made a critical intervention in the early debate over the role of natural jurisprudence at a moment when the natural law project was widely suspected of heterodoxy and incoherence. This is the first modern edition of A Treatise of the Laws of Nature, based on John Maxwell''s English translation of 1727. The edition includes Maxwell''s e

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Book SynopsisThis volume comprises several of Kirzner''s previously published papers on the subjects of methodological subjectivism and the history of entrepreneurship theorytopics of primary importance in Kirzner''s economic thought because one cannot fully understand entrepreneurship theory without considering subjectivism. The volume includes Kirzner''s seminal paper Methodological Individualism, Market Equilibrium, and Market Process, in which Kirzner conceptualized the role of the entrepreneurial function in the market process for the first time in his work. According to the editors, that paper opened the door to Kirzner''s research on the market process, leading six years later to the publication of Competition and Entrepreneurship. In doing so, it paved the way to the modern Austrian theory of the market process.

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Book SynopsisM. J. Levett''s elegant translation of Plato''s Theaetetus, first published in 1928, is here revised by Myles Burnyeat to reflect contemporary standards of accuracy while retaining the style, imagery, and idiomatic speech for which the Levett translation is unparalleled. Bernard William's concise introduction, aimed at undergraduate students, illuminates the powerful argument of this complex dialogue, and illustrates its connections to contemporary metaphysical and epistemological concerns.

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Book SynopsisThese five essays began a debate about the nature and scope of ancient scepticism which has transformed our understanding of what scepticism originally was. Together they provide a vigorous and highly stimulating introduction to the thought of the original sceptics, and shed new light on its relation to sceptical arguments in modern philosophy.Trade ReviewThe Original Sceptics contains a wealth of analysis, argument and philological comment, and it undoubtedly succeeds in making the reader aware of the difficulties involved in discovering what the ancient sceptics really held. --F. C. White, Australasian Journal of PhilosophyTable of ContentsThe sceptics' beliefs; can the sceptic live his scepticism?; the beliefs of a Pyrrhonist; the sceptic in his place and time; the sceptic's two kinds of assent.

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Book SynopsisThis is a collection of five essays debating the nature and scope of ancient scepticism, providing an introduction to the thought of the original sceptics. The book seeks to shed new light on how their thought relates to sceptical arguments in modern philosophy.Trade ReviewThe Original Sceptics contains a wealth of analysis, argument and philological comment, and it undoubtedly succeeds in making the reader aware of the difficulties involved in discovering what the ancient sceptics really held. --F. C. White, Australasian Journal of PhilosophyTable of ContentsThe sceptics' beliefs; can the sceptic live his scepticism?; the beliefs of a Pyrrhonist; the sceptic in his place and time; the sceptic's two kinds of assent.

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Book SynopsisOrganized around themes such as harmony with one's self and with the world, right relation to God, the use of reason, self-exploration, and living in a disordered world, the selections in this anthology explore traditional philosophical thought from Plato to de Beauvoir on the topic of human flourishing.Trade ReviewI recently used The Good Life for my course Philosophy Through Film. I was pleasantly surprised by the development of the students' excitement for and interest in the assigned readings. Throughout the semester the students commented on the helpfulness of the editor's introductions for each reading, and they became increasingly interested in philosophy. The book was a huge success! --Megan Altman, Florida Gulf Coast University. . . a marvelously wide-ranging selection of philosophers' attempts to define the good life. . . . Making selections for a modest-sized volume on such an issue is a daunting task, requiring negotiating the Scylla of breadth but superficiality and the Charybdis of detail but narrowness. On this score one has to say Guignon has done just about as well as can be done. . . . The editor’s introductions to each selection are quite helpful and accurate. . . . [An] excellent anthology that undergraduate philosophy teachers will no doubt find extremely useful in the classroom. --Whitley R. P. Kaufman, Philosophy in Review

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewC.D.C. Reeve has made a remarkable contribution to the study of Aristotle’s metaphysics, not least because his interpretation restores Aristotle’s theology to its central place. His book will be important reading not only for scholars engaged in debate about Aristotle’s text, but also for the rest of us, because it is both an interpretation of Aristotle and a significant metaphysical inquiry in its own right. --Alasdair MacIntyre, Duke UniversityA splendid book! Reeve's Substantial Knowledge contains a remarkably rich and detailed exploration of the primacy, both metaphysical and epistemological, of substantial being in Aristotle's theoretical philosophy. It not only provides an accessible introduction to the key texts and problems, but also challenges contemporary scholarship in its highly original exposition and defense of a holistic interpretation of the aims and content of Aristotle's metaphysical theorizing. --Alan Code, University of California, BerkeleyEven scholars who have worked hard over decades on metaphysics in Aristotle will find much refreshment as well as much to learn in studying this book. This is not an ordinary working through, textbook fashion, of the established topics and the established texts, aimed at giving a thorough but traditionally conceived examination of Aristotle’s metaphysics of substance. It is a completely fresh, independently motivated philosophical reading of lots and lots of Aristotelian texts, assembled in order to buttress an ongoing interpretative project, and quoted in full and then analyzed step by step in the surrounding discussion. I am sure that any reader will find the book a spirited and instructive effort to deal intelligibly with these often quite daunting materials. --John Cooper, Princeton University

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Book SynopsisC.D.C. Reeves uses the Primacy Dilemma to explore Aristotle's metaphysics, epistemology, dialectic, philosophy of mind and theology. The book's clear, non-technical format makes it suitable for both academic and general readers with an interest in Aristotle.Trade ReviewC.D.C. Reeve has made a remarkable contribution to the study of Aristotle’s metaphysics, not least because his interpretation restores Aristotle’s theology to its central place. His book will be important reading not only for scholars engaged in debate about Aristotle’s text, but also for the rest of us, because it is both an interpretation of Aristotle and a significant metaphysical inquiry in its own right. --Alasdair MacIntyre, Duke UniversityA splendid book! Reeve's Substantial Knowledge contains a remarkably rich and detailed exploration of the primacy, both metaphysical and epistemological, of substantial being in Aristotle's theoretical philosophy. It not only provides an accessible introduction to the key texts and problems, but also challenges contemporary scholarship in its highly original exposition and defense of a holistic interpretation of the aims and content of Aristotle's metaphysical theorizing. --Alan Code, University of California, BerkeleyEven scholars who have worked hard over decades on metaphysics in Aristotle will find much refreshment as well as much to learn in studying this book. This is not an ordinary working through, textbook fashion, of the established topics and the established texts, aimed at giving a thorough but traditionally conceived examination of Aristotle’s metaphysics of substance. It is a completely fresh, independently motivated philosophical reading of lots and lots of Aristotelian texts, assembled in order to buttress an ongoing interpretative project, and quoted in full and then analyzed step by step in the surrounding discussion. I am sure that any reader will find the book a spirited and instructive effort to deal intelligibly with these often quite daunting materials. --John Cooper, Princeton University

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Book SynopsisThis translation of the central books of the Metaphysics aims at no literary value, only literalness.Trade ReviewAbout as close to Aristotle's Greek, syntax and all, as one can get in English.--Arthur Madigan, S.J., Boston College

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Book Synopsis"Metaphysics: Books 7 to 10".Trade ReviewAbout as close to Aristotle's Greek, syntax and all, as one can get in English.--Arthur Madigan, S.J., Boston College

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Book SynopsisThe nature of emotion is an important question in several philosophical domains, but little attention has so far been paid to identifying the general ontological category to which emotions belong. Given that they are short-lived, are they events? Since they often have components or stages, are they processes? Or does their close link with behaviour mean they are dispositions? In this volume, leading scholars investigate these basic ontological issues, contributing to current discussions about emotions and paving the way for new research into an underexplored area of philosophy. With chapters addressing issues including the temporal profile of emotions, the distinction between emotions and other affective states, and the epistemology of emotion, this highly original book will be valuable for students and specialists of philosophy, and particularly for those working in the metaphysics of mind and emotions.Trade Review'In this volume's ten essays, analytic philosophers (Naar among them) explore metaphysical questions about what ontological category to assign emotions … Suitable for specialists, the collection reveals that advances (though perhaps incremental) have been made on many of these problems.' ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction Hichem Naar and Fabrice Teroni; 1. Mind-body theories and the emotions William Jaworski; 2. Dispositionality and mentality John Heil; 3. Emotion as process Jenefer Robinson; 4. The ontology of emotion Matthew Soteriou; 5. Phenomenal commitments: a puzzle for experiential theories of emotion Jona Vance; 6. An enactivist theory of emotional Content Daniel Shargel and Jesse Prinz; 7. The perceptibility of emotion Joel Smith; 8. Sentiments Hichem Naar; 9. The metaphysics of moods Christine Tappolet; 10. Night fight Clare Mac Cumhaill.

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Book SynopsisPeter van Inwagen, author of the classic book An Essay on Free Will (1983), has established himself over the last forty years as a leading figure in the philosophical debate about the problem of free will. This volume presents eleven influential essays from throughout his career, as well as two new and previously unpublished essays, ''The Problem of Fr** W*ll'' and ''Ability''. The essays include discussions of determinism, moral responsibility, ''Frankfurt counterexamples'', the meaning of ''the ability to do otherwise'', and the very definition of free will, as well as critiques of writings on the topic by Daniel Dennett and David Lewis. An introduction by the author discusses the history of his thinking about free will. The volume will be a valuable resource for those looking to engage with van Inwagen''s significant contributions to this perennially important topic.Trade Review'These are all superb papers. In addition to Peter van Inwagen's classic and indispensable contributions to the free will debate, Thinking about Free Will includes illuminating discussion of whether there is anything we all mean by 'free will', how we should think about the problem of free will, and whether free will remains a mystery. It is frank and fascinating.' Michael Almeida, University of Texas, San Antonio'This volume brings together essays written over the course of more than three decades by one of the world's leading scholars on free will. An outstanding and informative collection, it displays the depth and rigor of van Inwagen's groundbreaking arguments on one of the greatest problems in philosophy. Both researchers and students who work on the cluster of issues connected to free agency - including ability, moral responsibility, determinism, desert, and natural laws - will appreciate having this illuminating volume.' Laura Ekstrom, College of William and Mary, Virginia'No one writes more sensibly about the traditional philosophical problem of free will than does Peter van Inwagen. This book, a collection of his essays on free will, ought to join his An Essay on Free Will, the best modern treatment of the topic, on the shelf of anyone seriously considering the cluster of issues which constitute the traditional philosophical problem of free will. It is an excellent volume.' Peter A. Graham, Notre Dame Philosophical ReviewTable of ContentsPreface; Introduction; 1. Ability and responsibility; 2. On two arguments for compatibilism; 3. Compatibilistic reflections; 4. Critical study of Dennett's Elbow Room; 5. When is the will free?; 6. Moral responsibility, determinism, and the ability to do otherwise; 7. Free will remains a mystery; 8. Genes, statistics, and desert; 9. Freedom to break the laws; 10. How to think about the problem of free will; 11. A promising argument; 12. Preface to the French translation of An Essay on Free Will; 13. The problem of fr** w*ll; 14. Ability; Index.

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Book SynopsisIn the fifth century BCE, Melissus of Samos developed wildly counterintuitive claims against plurality, change, and the reliability of the senses. This book provides a reconstruction of the preserved textual evidence for his philosophy, along with an interpretation of the form and content of each of his arguments. A close examination of his thought reveals an extraordinary clarity and unity in his method and gives us a unique perspective on how philosophy developed in the fifth century, and how Melissus came to be the most prominent representative of what we now call Eleaticism, the monistic philosophy inaugurated by Parmenides. The rich intellectual climate of Ionian enquiry in which Melissus worked is explored and brought to bear on central questions of the interpretation of his fragments. This volume will appeal to students and scholars of early Greek philosophy, and also those working on historical and medical texts.Table of ContentsPrefatory material; B1: what-is did not come to be; B2 and B3: spatial infinity; B4, B5, B6: what-is is one; B9 and B10: bodilessness and indivisibility; B7: change, pain, and motion; B8: sense experience and plurality.

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Book SynopsisHeidegger''s Moral Ontology offers the first comprehensive account of the ethical issues that underwrite Heidegger''s efforts to develop a novel account of human existence. Drawing from a wide array of source materials from the period leading up to the publication of Being and Time (19191927), and in conversation with ancient, modern, and contemporary contributions to moral philosophy, James D. Reid brings Heidegger''s early philosophy into fruitful dialogue with the history of ethics, and sheds fresh light on such familiar topics as Heidegger''s critique of Husserl, his engagement with Aristotle, his account of mortality, the role played by Kant in the genesis of Being and Time, and Heidegger''s early reflections on philosophical language and concepts. This lively book will appeal to all who are interested in Heidegger''s early phenomenology and in his thought more generally, as well as to those interested in the nature, scope, and foundations of ethical life.Trade Review'Drawing on a broad range of literary and philosophical sources, Reid perceptively, sensitively and rigorously explores the case for a 'moral ontology' grounded in Heidegger's early works: this is essential reading for anyone interested in modern European philosophy, and in the problems and possibilities embedded in Heidegger's thought.' Sacha Golob, King's College LondonTable of ContentsIntroduction: ethics and ontology; 1. Ethical criticism; 2. Ethical truth and the quarrel between the ancients and the moderns; 3. Excursus on being and the good; 4. Things and persons: an exercise in moral ontology; 5. Owning up to life and death; 6. The ethics and ontology of formal indication; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis masterful work on Kant''s Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason explores Kant''s treatment of the Idea of God, his views concerning evil, and the moral grounds for faith in God. Kant and Religion works to deepen our understanding of religion''s place and meaning within the history of human culture, touching on Kant''s philosophical stance regarding theoretical, moral, political, and religious matters. Wood''s breadth of knowledge of Kant''s corpus, philosophical sharpness, and depth of reflection sheds light not only on Kant, but also on the fate of religion and its relation to philosophy in the modern world.Trade Review'In this penetrating study, Wood argues that Kant affirms neither traditional theism nor atheism. Rather, Kant interprets the central ideas of Christianity as invaluable symbols of the foundation of morality: that human beings are radically free, that because of their freedom they are capable of evil, but are equally free to undertake a lifelong 'change of heart,' working unremittingly to put morality ahead of self-love. Wood has written a masterpiece.' Paul Guyer, Brown University'Very few scholars are able to write the definitive work in a subject area when they are in their 20's. Even fewer have the chance to do it again 50 years later. This book shows us where the author's views have changed and evolved since Kant's Moral Religion (1970), and also – as importantly – where they have stayed the same. Like their namesake, Kantians tend to age well; this book is vintage Allen Wood.' Andrew Chignell, Princeton University'Kant and Religion, by its topic's foremost living scholar, presents the upshot of Wood's half a century of ground-breaking research on Kant's engagement with religion, not merely as a topic in metaphysics, but as a major factor in the social and individual dimensions of a moral life. Organized around Kant's Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason, this book deals insightfully with all three of Kant's Critiques and the major ethical works of his final years. This lively, accessible book combines Wood's engaging passion for his subject with carefully balanced judgment.' Robert Merrihew Adams, Rutgers University'… an original and exciting contribution to the literature on Kant's understanding of religion.' Jacqueline Mariña, Journal of the History of Philosophy'Wood's writing is … snappy, self-assured, and entertainingly bold …' Jessica Tizzard, Journal of the American Academy of ReligionTable of Contents1. Religion and reason; 2. Moral faith in God; 3. The radical evil in human nature; 4. The change of heart; 5. The son of God; 6. Grace and salvation; 7. The ethical community and the Church; 8. Freedom of conscience; Concluding remarks.

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Book SynopsisThe biological functions debate is a perennial topic in the philosophy of science. In the first full-length account of the nature and importance of biological functions for many years, Justin Garson presents an innovative new theory, the ''generalized selected effects theory of function'', which seamlessly integrates evolutionary and developmental perspectives on biological functions. He develops the implications of the theory for contemporary debates in the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of medicine and psychiatry, the philosophy of biology, and biology itself, addressing issues ranging from the nature of mental representation to our understanding of the function of the human genome. Clear, jargon-free, and engagingly written, with accessible examples and explanatory diagrams to illustrate the discussion, his book will be highly valuable for readers across philosophical and scientific disciplines.Trade Review'Biological functions are much discussed but little understood. Justin Garson appeals to the explanatory depth of functional explanations to develop a powerful general theory of functions. This book will serve as a reference point for future debate.' David Papineau, King's College London'Garson does a superb job of explaining just how central a philosophical understanding of functions is to a wide array of discussions in philosophy and science. These discussions include how to count junk DNA in the ENCODE project, how to classify traits and individuate mechanisms, how different kinds and levels of biological explanations relate to each other, the nature of health and disease, the nature of mental disorder, and even the fundamental basis of thought itself. In addition to being an excellent introduction to these issues, this book gives us a fresh, lively and comprehensive presentation of Garson's distinctive contributions.' Karen Neander, Duke University, North Carolina'[In] What Biological Functions Are and Why They Matter, Justin Garson formulates the major philosophical issues that a relevant theory of function should solve as three main puzzles, namely (1) the function/accident distinction, (2) dysfunction, and (3) the etiological explanatory value of function.' Etienne Roux, MetascienceTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Background: 1. The strangeness of functions; 2. Function and selection; 3. Feedback and functions; Part II. Theory: 4. An explosion of selection processes; 5. Selection and construction; 6. A generalized selected effects theory of function; 7. Proper functions are proximal functions; 8. When functions do wrong; Part III. Applications: 9. Function pluralism; 10. What are mechanisms?; 11. What are mental disorders?; 12. A new kind of teleosemantics; A programmatic epilogue.

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Book SynopsisThis book, geared toward academic researchers and graduate students, brings together research on all facets of how time and causality relate across the sciences. Time is fundamental to how we perceive and reason about causes. It lets us immediately rule out the sound of a car crash as its cause. That a cause happens before its effect has been a core, and often unquestioned, part of how we describe causality. Research across disciplines shows that the relationship is much more complex than that. This book explores what that means for both the metaphysics and epistemology of causes - what they are and how we can find them. Across psychology, biology, and the social sciences, common themes emerge, suggesting that time plays a critical role in our understanding. The increasing availability of large time series datasets allows us to ask new questions about causality, necessitating new methods for modeling dynamic systems and incorporating mechanistic information into causal models.Trade Review'Understanding the causal relations that make the world go round would be so much easier if mechanisms didn't operate over time, or at least if they operated at a single time scale. But mechanisms do unfold over multiple time scales, making not only inferences about causality tricky, but the very definition of causality the most slippery of conceptual issues. This book unpacks all this at the cutting edge of philosophy and science. It even addresses what may be the heart of the problem: how people understand causality and its counterpart, time.' Steven Sloman, Brown University, Rhode Island'A very useful collection on a fascinating topic. The connection between time and causation seems as obvious in science as in everyday life, yet turns out to be deeply puzzling, as soon as we dig below the surface. The essays collected here offer an excellent and accessible introduction to the issues, from an impressively interdisciplinary range of perspectives.' Huw Price, University of Cambridge'The volume encompasses a wide range of discussions on both metaphysical and epistemological approaches, and chapter authors look at issues across the sciences including physics, biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. Readers will undoubtedly agree that most researchers, including philosophers, who are concerned about causality would benefit from considering how their own approach compares with those of other disciplines … the material will be accessible to anyone within the respective sciences. The chapters are well written throughout, each with a good reference list.' E. Kincanon, ChoiceTable of Contents1. An introduction to time and causality Samantha Kleinberg; 2. Causality and time: an introductory typology Bert Leuridan and Thomas Lodewyck; 3. The direction of causation Phil Dowe; 4. On the causal nature of time Victor Gijsbers; 5. Causation in a physical world: an overview of our emerging understanding Jenann Ismael; 6. Intervening in time Neil R. Bramely; 7. Time-event relationships as representations for constructing cell mechanisms Yin Chung Au; 8. Causation, time asymmetry, and causal mechanisms in the social sciences Inge de Bal and Erik Weber; 9. Temporalization in causal modeling Jonathan Livengood and Karen R. Zwier; 10. Reintroducing dynamics into static causal models Naftali Weinberger; 11. Overcoming the poverty of mechanisms in causal models David Jensen.

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