Description
Book Synopsisaeo Provides a comprehensive source to key metaphysics debates. aeo Includes classic articles by internationally acclaimed philosophers. aeo Incorporates seven new state--of--the art papers. aeo Begins with an overview essay hightlighting important debates.
Trade Review"This is a superb collection of seminal papers on fundamental matters in metaphysics: ontological commitment, possibilia, universals, substance, events, tropes, and mathematical objects. The pedagogical value of the volume is enhanced by state-of-the-art essays by leading philosophers in the field."
Brian McLaughlin, Rutgers UniversityTable of ContentsList of Contributors for State of the Art Essays.
Acknowledgements.
Introduction: Metaphysics and Ontology: Stephen Laurence and Cynthia MacDonald.
Part I: Methodology and Ontological Commitment: .
State of the Art Essay.
1. The Nature of Metaphysics: Peter van Inwagen.
Readings.
2. Descriptive and Revisionary Metaphysics: Susan Haack.
3. On What There Is: W. V. O. Quine.
4. Ontological Commitments: William P. Alston.
5. Quantifiers: Susan Haack.
6. Identity and Substitutivity: Richard Cartwright.
Part II: Possible Worlds and Possibilia:.
State of the Art Essay.
7. Possible Worlds and Possibilia: William G. Lycan.
Readings.
8. Possible Worlds: David Lewis.
9. Possible Worlds: Robert Stalnaker.
10. Ways Worlds Could Be: Peter Forrest.
Part III: Universals and Properties: .
State of the Art Essay.
11. Universals and Properties: George Bealer.
Readings.
12. On Properties: Hilary Putnam.
13. New Work for a Theory of Universals: David Lewis.
15. A Theory of Structural Universals: John Bigelow and Robert Pargetter.
Part IV: Substances:.
State of the Art Essay.
16. Beyond Substrata and Bundles: A Prolegomenon to a Substance Ontology: Michael J. Loux.
Readings.
17. Bare Particulars: Edwin B. Allaire.
18. Particulars Re-Clothed: V. C. Chappell.
19. Another Look at Bare Particulars: Edwin B. Allaire.
20. Three Versions of the Bundle Theory: James Van Cleve.
Part V: Events:.
State of the Art Essay.
21. Ontologies of Events: Lawrence Brian Lombard.
Readings.
22. The Individuation of Events: Donald Devidson.
23. Events as Property Exemplifications: Jaegwon Kim.
Part VI: Tropes:.
State of the Art Essay.
24. Tropes and Other Things: Cynthia Macdonald.
Readings.
25. The Metaphysic of Abstract Particulars: Keith Campbell.
26. Particulars in Particular Clothing: Three Trope Theories of Substance: Peter Simmons.
Part VII: Mathematical Objects:.
State of the Art Essay.
27. Mathematical Objectivity and Mathematical objects: Hartry Field.
Readings.
28. Philosophy of Logic: Hilary Putnam.
29. What Numbers Could Not Be: Paul Benacerraf.
Index.
