Neo-Davidsonian Metaphysics

Samuel C. Wheeler III is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Connecticut, USA.

"Neo-Davidsonian Metaphysics is the most important and sustained elaboration of Davidsonian thinking that has appeared outside Davidson's own work. It takes up Davidson's ideas in a way that is original and innovative, and yet also true to the spirit of Davidson. In the course of providing new insights into Davidsonian thinking, Wheeler also shows how many contemporary philosophical problems can be dealt with by a careful working through and some judicious modification of key Davidsonian concepts and approaches. In particular, Wheeler's elaboration of the position he calls 'relative essentialism' is a groundbreaking development that deserves wide consideration by anyone interested in contemporary analytic thought." – Jeff Malpas, Distinguished Professor, University of Tasmania, Australia"Wheeler's book is invaluable in articulating and clearing up all sorts of confusions about Davidson's metaphysical views. It brings the view closer to the thinking of contemporary metaphysicians and semanticists by eliminating some of its inessential or refuted assumptions." - Zoltán Gendler Szabó, Yale University"Wheeler takes some of the core ideas of Davidson’s philosophy, and more than Davidson himself ever did, forges those into a single, clear and coherent theory." - Lajos Brons, Nihon University, Tokyo

• Introduction 1. Davidsonian Truth and its Consequences 2. Against Absolute Essentialism 3. Natures, Necessity, and Relative Essentialism 4. Kinds of Events 5. Modals and Conditionals 6. Properties, Propositions, and Facts 7. Future Contingents and Temporary Intrinsics 8. The Sorites and Davidsonian Innocuous Epistemicism 9. The Good 10. What We Ought to Do