Varieties of things : foundations of contemporary metaphysics

Author(s)

• Macdonald, Cynthia

Bibliographic Information

Varieties of things : foundations of contemporary metaphysics

Cynthia Macdonald

Blackwell Pub., 2005

• hard cover : alk. paper
• pbk. : alk. paper

Note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Varieties of Things: Foundations of Contemporary Metaphysics is about some of the most fundamental kinds of things that there are; the things that we encounter in everyday experience. A book about the things that we encounter in everyday experience. Contains a thorough and accessible discussion of the nature and aims of metaphysics. Examines a wide range of ontological categories, including both particulars and universals. Mounts a forceful and persuasive case for anti-reductionism.

Table of Contents

Preface vii Part I: Metaphysics and Its Tools 1 The Nature and Function of Metaphysics 3 The Methodology and Subject Matter of Metaphysics 4 Aristotle's Conception of Metaphysics 8 Kant's Conception of Metaphysics 11 A Working Conception of Metaphysics 14 2 Some Tools of Metaphysics 36 Criteria of Ontological Commitment: Two Examples 36 'No Entity without Identity': Identity Conditions for Objects 56 Individuation Conditions, Identity Conditions, and Metaphysical Kinds 59 Principles and Criteria of Identity 63 Part II: Particulars 3 Material Substances 79 Our Ontological Commitment to Material Substances 79 The Bundle Theory and the Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles 81 Problems with the Bundle Theory 84 The Bare Substratum Theory and the Principle of Acquaintance 110 Objections to the Bare Substratum Theory 113 An Alternative 114 4 Persons and Personal Identity 135 Our Ontological Commitment to Persons 135 Candidates for Persistence Conditions for Persons 138 The Closest Continuer Theory and Its Problems 150 Does the Concept of Identity Apply to Persons? 155 The Multiple Occupancy Thesis 162 Back to Basics: Continuity and Fission 164 A Suggestion 169 5 Events 181 Our Ontological Commitment to Events 183 Three Criteria: Spatio-temporal Coincidence, Necessary Spatio-temporal Coincidence, and Sameness of Cause and Effect 186 The Property Exemplification Account of Events (PEE) 193 Part III: Universals 6 Universals and the Realism/Nominalism Dispute 219 The Issue 223 Varieties of Nominalism 225 Two Conceptions of Universals 236 The Regress Charge and Two Unsuccessful Attempts to Meet It 239 An Alternative 245 Bibliography 260 Index 272

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

• NCID: BA73660172
• ISBN:
  • 0631186948
  • 9780631186953
• LCCN: 2004027277
• Country Code: us
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Place of Publication: Malden, MA
• Pages/Volumes: 278p. 23cm
• Classification:
  • LCC : BD111
  • DC21 : 110
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : Metaphysics