Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology Books

Book SynopsisThe first collection of essays dedicated to Roman linguistic naturalism, a major but under-studied area of Roman linguistic and philosophical thought. Brings together an international group of experts to consider naturalism in a wide variety of ancient authors including Cicero, Varro, Nigidius, Posidonius, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus.Table of ContentsIntroduction: first thoughts on language and nature Giuseppe Pezzini and Barnaby Taylor; 1. Posidonius' linguistic naturalism and its philosophical pedigree Alexander Verlinsky; 2. Lucilius on Latin spelling, grammar and usage Anna Chahoud; 3. Nigidius Figulus' naturalism: between grammar and philosophy Alessandro Garcea; 4. Naturalism in morphology: Varro on derivation and inflection Wolfgang D. C. De Melo; 5. What's Hecuba to him? Varro on the natural kinship of things and of words David Blank; 6. Linguistic naturalism in Cicero's Academica Tobias Reinhardt; 7. Linguistic naturalism and natural style: from Varro and Cicero to Dionysius of Halicarnassus Casper C. de Jonge; 8. Natural law and natural language in the first century BCE James Zetzel.

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Book SynopsisNow revised and containing three new chapters, this book provides a clear and accessible introduction to epistemology, or the theory of knowledge. It discusses some of the main theories of justification, including foundationalism, coherentism, reliabilism, and virtue epistemology. Other topics include the Gettier problem, internalism and externalism, skepticism, the problem of epistemic circularity, a priori knowledge, naturalized epistemology, and the epistemic significance of testimony and disagreement. Intended primarily for students taking their first classes in epistemology, this lucid and well-written text will provide an excellent introduction to anyone interested in knowing more about this important area of philosophy.Table of ContentsPreface to the second edition; 1. Knowledge, truth, and justification; 2. The traditional analysis and the Gettier problem; 3. Foundationalism; 4. The coherence theory of justification; 5. Reliabilism and virtue epistemology; 6. Internalism and externalism about justification; 7. Epistemic circularity; 8. Skepticism; 9. The problem of the criterion; 10. The a priori; 11. Naturalized epistemology; 12. Testimony and disagreement.

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Book SynopsisMany philosophers in the analytic tradition are now convinced that metaphysical questions are worth pursuing, but we still lack a convincing meta-metaphysics and methodology. This essay offers an account of how we should conduct our business qua metaphysicians.Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: ON THE POSSIBILITY OF METAPHYSICS 1. A Return to Scholastic Metaphysics 2. The Aporetic Method and the Defence of Immodest Metaphysics 3. Evolutionary Biology meets Scholastic Metaphysics PART II: THE TURN TO BIOLOGY 4. Counting biological individuals 5. Evolutionary Biology, Change, and Essentialism 6. Evolutionary Biology, Modality and Explanation 7. Evolutionary Biology and Ethics

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Book SynopsisThe book explores concepts throughout the history of philosophy that suggest the possibility of unconscious thought and lay the foundation for ideas of unconscious thought in modern philosophy and psychoanalysis. The focus is on the workings of unconscious thought and the role it plays in thinking, language, perception, and human identity.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Plotinus: The First Philosopher of the Unconscious 2. The Peripatetics and Unconscious Thought 3. The Active Intellect of Averroes 4. Robert Grosseteste: Imagination and Unconscious Thought 5. Unconscious Thought in the Philosophy of Immanuel Kant 6. Unconscious Thought in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Philosophies 7. Unconscious Thought in Freud 8. Unconscious Thought in Lacan

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Book SynopsisIf the sentence my cat is on the mat' is true how does it get to be true? Sentences are made true by what exists. But what about claims such as There were dinosaurs?' and 2+2=4'. How do they get to be true? Metaphysics: An Introduction uses the idea of truth and the quest for truth-makers to unravel philosophical problems in contemporary metaphysics. From the nature of properties and time to causation and objects, truth becomes a guiding theme to understanding metaphysical concepts and debates. In response to feedback from students and instructors, the Second Edition has been updated with new material in a range of chapters, including discussions of recent research concerning the nature of physical objects, time and modality. Recommended readings have been revised to ensure an improved gender balance while explanations and ideas are easier to follow. Together with a glossary and discussion questions, each chapter concludes with a series of mind maps to help visuaTrade ReviewMetaphysics: An Introduction by Jonathan Tallant is a great contemporary introduction to metaphysics. The book explores, in a very accessible way, composition, time, persistence, and causation. This is metaphysics viewed through the lens of truth-making and, as such, it engages with traditional metaphysical questions in a new, illuminating, and engaging manner. * Kristie Miller, Associate Professor of Philosophy, The University of Sydney, Australia *In Metaphysics: An Introduction, Jonathan Tallant offers an innovative way into a variety of foundational questions about the world around us. The textbook is an exciting and clear introduction to topics in contemporary metaphysics that are the focus of active debate among experts, and Tallant is a first-rate guide to this shifting and difficult terrain. * Daniel Nolan, McMahon-Hank Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, USA *This is an excellent introduction for students of metaphysics and pleasant reading for anyone interested in fundamental philosophical questions. It provides an accurate overviews of the major contemporary debates, and an engaging analysis of their central themes. Tallant treats each topic in a straightforward and appealing way, without ever sacrificing depth. * Giuliano Torrengo, Founder of the Center for Philosophy of Time and Senior Assistant Professor of Language, University of Milan, Italy *Tallant's book is an excellent and wide-ranging introduction to metaphysics for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Difficult concepts are synthesised and explained in a straightforward and accessible manner, without sacrificing depth of discussion. The book's breadth enables the instructor to develop a number of interesting courses that use it as a core text, and its lively writing style promises to capture the interest of students at all levels. * Sam Baron, Lecturer of Philosophy, The University of Western Australia, Australia *Table of Contents1. An Introduction to Truth-making 2. The Special Composition Question 3. Abstract Objects 4. Modality 5. Properties 6. Substratum and Other Theories 7. Time 8. Persistence 9. Causation 10. Truth-making Reconsidered References Index

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Book SynopsisSaloua Chatti is former Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tunis, Tunisia.Wilfrid Hodges is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.Table of ContentsPreface Richard Sorabji Conventions Acknowledgements Introduction Wilfrid Hodges 1. A Brief Guide to Categorical Syllogisms 2. Al-Farabi and his Writings 3. The Book Syllogism Textual Emendations Translation Notes Bibliography English-Arabic-Greek Glossary Arabic-English Index Index of Passages from Aristotle Subject Index

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Book SynopsisRafael Winkler is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.Trade ReviewThrough a compelling and illuminating study, Rafael Winkler asks whether “uniqueness” is a possible experience and how it should be thought. He deals with this concept in a variety of ways: the uniqueness of being, the self, the other human being, death, and responsibility for the other. By situating itself at the limits of thought, the book presents new facets of the philosophy of absolute difference. Readers will find much to ponder as the book also calls for an engaged reflection on a highly contentious problem: finitude. * Gabriel Riera, Associate Professor of Literary Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA *A unique, original, and very welcome contribution to philosophical and literary studies of the self, experience, and singularity. Written with an admirable rigour in explication and analysis, a lucidity in expression, and an always cogent line of reasoning, Philosophy of Finitude explores the limit experiences of the ‘I’ through the focus on Heidegger, Levinas, and Nietzsche, that produces exciting fascinating new readings both of selfhood and identity. * Julian Wolfreys, Professor of English, University of Portsmouth, UK *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1. Death, the Impossible 1. Introduction 2. Perishing and demise 3. Is dying possible? 4. Singularization 5. Schizophrenia 6. Mourning Chapter 2. Self and Other 1. Introduction 2. Vanquishing death 3. Alterity 4. The call 5. Guilt 6. Responsibility Chapter 3. Figurations 1. Introduction 2. Proximities 3. The feminine welcome 4. The absolute arrivant Chapter 4. Dwelling 1. Introduction 2. The earth 3. The gods 4. Antigone 5. Holy mourning 6. The proper and the foreign 7. Guestfriendship Chapter 5. Beyond Truth 1. Introduction 2. Truth and error 3. Justice 4. Naturalism 5. The end of metaphysics 6. The will to truth 7. Self-discipline 8. Schein Chapter 6. Substance 1. Introduction 2. The standard hypothesis 3. Essence 4. Substance 5. Rhetoric 6. Metaphor Bibliography

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Book SynopsisWillow Verkerk is a Lecturer in Continental Philosophy and Social Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, Canada and a researcher with the Gendered Mimesis Project at KU Leuven, Belgium.Trade ReviewNietzsche valued friendship, and this pioneering study shows how Nietzsche’s own discussion of friendship is absolutely crucial for understanding his philosophy. Through a very careful and perceptive reading of Nietzsche’s texts, Verkerk argues that Nietzsche’s ideas about friendship are empowering – and in this way she makes a strong case for the relevance of Nietzsche’s thought in contemporary debates concerning friendship, gender relations, and love. * Richard White, Professor of Philosophy, Creighton University, USA *“We were friends and have become estranged. (…) We are two ships each of which has its goal and course. (…) Perhaps we shall meet again but fail to recognize each other: our exposure to different seas and suns has changed us!”, says Nietzsche in The Gay Science. Attentive to all possible meanings of such a change, Verkerk explores with remarkable scrutiny the singular destiny of friendship, which reveals its metamorphic power only after it has died — posthumous birth of new identities. -- Catherine Malabou, Professor of Philosophy, Kingston University, UKTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Nietzsche’s Literary Gift of Friendship: Reading Nietzsche as a Joyful, Agonistic, and Bestowing Friend Chapter 2: Nietzsche’s Re-evaluation of Friendship Chapter 3: On Becoming What One Is: Nietzsche’s Therapeutic Concept of the Self Chapter 4: Nietzsche and Aristotle on Character, Virtue, and the Limits of Friendship Chapter 5: Women, Love, and the Gendered Troubles of Friendship in Nietzsche and Irigaray Chapter 6: Abducting Woman? An Agonistic Reception of Nietzsche’s (and Derrida’s) Gifts Conclusion: Further Re-evaluations Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisJonathan Head is Lecturer in Philosophy at Keele University, UK. He is co-editor of Schopenhauer's Fourfold Root (2016), and has published papers on Anne Conway, Kant and Schopenhauer.Trade ReviewScholars have long regarded Anne Conway’s Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy (1690) as a work of great metaphysical subtlety and sophistication. Jonathan Head’s wonderfully lucid study will improve our understanding of Conway’s text, enhance our appreciation of its origins, and enrich future scholarship on this remarkable philosopher. * Jacqueline Broad, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Monash University, Australia *Jonathan Head’s study of Anne Conway’s philosophy is welcome as the first to be written with non-specialists in mind. With a distinctive emphasis on Conway’s Quaker context, he provides an accessible introduction to Conway’s philosophy, which both elucidates important aspects of her philosophy and furnishes material for debate and discussion. * Sarah Hutton, Honorary Visiting Professor of Philosophy, University of York, UK *Jonathan Head’s The Philosophy of Anne Conway is a thoughtful introduction to the complicated philosophical system of this understudied philosopher, which will be a great help to those eager to teach her thought. * Christia Mercer, Gustave M. Berne Professor of Philosophy, Columbia University, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Anne Conway's Life and Letters 1. The Inner Light 2. God, Spirit and Body 3. Creation and the Infinity of Time 4. God, Christ and Creature 5. Time and Salvation 6. Freedom 7. The Constitution of Creatures Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe philosopher Abu Nasr al-Farabi (c. 870-c. 950 CE) is a key Arabic intermediary figure. He knew Aristotle, and in particular Aristotle's logic, through Greek Neoplatonist interpretations translated into Arabic via Syriac and possibly Persian. For example, he revised a general description of Aristotle's logic by the 6th century Paul the Persian, and further influenced famous later philosophers and theologians writing in Arabic in the 11th to 12th centuries: Avicenna, Al-Ghazali, Avempace and Averroes. Averroes' reports on Farabi were subsequently transmitted to the West in Latin translation. This book is an abridgement of Aristotle's Prior Analytics, rather than a commentary on successive passages. In it Farabi discusses Aristotle's invention, the syllogism, and aims to codify the deductively valid arguments in all disciplines. He describes Aristotle's categorical syllogisms in detail; these are syllogisms with premises such as Every A is a B' and No A is a B'. He adds a discussionTable of ContentsPreface Richard Sorabji Conventions Acknowledgements Introduction Wilfrid Hodges 1. A Brief Guide to Categorical Syllogisms 2. Al-Farabi and his Writings 3. The Book Syllogism Textual Emendations Translation Notes Bibliography English-Arabic-Greek Glossary Arabic-English Index Index of Passages from Aristotle Subject Index

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Book SynopsisIn the postmodern era, when the interface of bodies, biologies and technologies increasingly challenges the very notion of what counts as human, this open access book proposes new understandings of the limits and possible extensions of posthuman embodiment. Focusing on prostheses, Margrit Shildrick broadens our understanding of both what prostheses are and what they might mean for human embodiment. As well as rehabilitation devices used by disabled people to replace or augment impaired parts of the body, Shildrick introduces visceral organic prostheses, which involve any cellular material that cannot be identified with the self, from organ transplantation to the physiological processes of microchimerism and the microbiome. Beyond origin narratives that concentrate on host' and guest' and self' and other', she examines the transformative possibilities that prostheses offer as they extend the nature of the embodied self beyond genetic singularity. Building on cutting-eTrade ReviewMargrit Shildrick is an important and original thinker whose work brilliantly brings together bioethics, feminist and queer theories, and critical disability studies. In Visceral Prostheses, Shildrick extends her thinking on posthuman embodiment into new territories, including the microbiome and microchimerism. Her analyses of various case studies of prostheses as both external and internal to corporeality takes feminist thought in new directions. * Lisa Diedrich, Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Stony Brook University, USA *A fascinating reconceptualization of the notion of prosthesis through the lens of critical disability studies that views a range of contemporary medical interventions involving live but non-self materials as visceral prostheses requiring a reconceptualization of the human body as open to creative expansion. To frame stem cell transplants, heart and liver transplants, or even fecal transplants as prosthetics is reframes our conventional understanding of prosthetics as remedying a lack. Instead, these are all seen as journeys into a new realm of problematized and extended selfhood. For those engaged in critical disability studies, this reconfiguration of prosthesis is exciting. And for scholars engaged in studying biomedical innovations, the foundational role played by critical disability studies in this analysis of new biomedical strategies promises to reorient medicine in productive ways. * Susan M. Squier, Brill Professor Emeritus of English and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Penn State University, USA *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Part 1: From Mechanical To Visceral Prostheses Chapter 1: Disability Chapter 2: Organ And Tissue Transplantation Chapter 3: Microchimerism And The Microbiome Part 2: Some Case Studies Chapter 4: Dementia Chapter 5: Stem Cell Transplant Chapter 6: Surrogacy Part 3: Towards Posthuman Embodiment Chapter 7: Life And Death Chapter 8: The Ethics Of A New Imaginary Conclusion References Index

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Book SynopsisJussi Palmusaari is a writer, translator and teacher based in London, UK. He specializes in political philosophy, Marxism and critical theory.Nicolas Schneider is Research Fellow at Leuphana University Lüneburg and Associate Researcher at Centre Marc Bloch, Berlin, Germany.

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