Reading Metaphysics

Helen Beebee is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham. She is the author of Hume on Causation (2006) and co-editor, with Julian Dodd, of Truthmakers: The Contemporary Debate (2005). Julian Dodd is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Manchester. He is the author of Works of Music: An Essay in Ontology (2007) and An Identity Theory of Truth (2000), and co-editor of Truthmakers: The Contemporary Debate (2005).

“A book that speaks directly to students. By combining accessible text selections with insightful commentary, clear graphic devices for navigating within each chapter, and thoughtful questions, this new collection provides an invaluable teaching tool for major areas of contemporary metaphysics.”Dale Jacquette, The Pennsylvania State University“Reading Metaphysics is the perfect hybrid of an attentively edited anthology and a lucidly instructive textbook. Instead of overwhelming us with dozens of selections, the editors have expertly chosen a small number of contemporary readings, thus giving readers the time to probe deeply into the selected topics and, more importantly, the time to learn how to take apart and interact with a philosophical text. While the readings are well-selected, the true strength of this book lies in the editors’ commentary. Students will leave this book ready, and eager, to take on more metaphysics and teachers will notice a marked improvement in their students’ philosophical ability.”Andrew P. Mills, Otterbein College

• Sources and Acknowledgements viiiIntroduction 11 Personal Identity 9Introduction 9Derek Parfit, ‘Personal Identity’ 13Commentary on Parfit 30Marya Schechtman, ‘Personhood and Personal Identity’ 36Commentary on Schechtman 54Further Reading 59Essay Questions 592 Free Will 60Introduction 60Peter van Inwagen, ‘The Incompatibility of Free Will and Determinism’ 62Commentary on van Inwagen 75Daniel Dennett, ‘Could Have Done Otherwise’ (extract from Elbow Room) 82Commentary on Dennett 93Further Reading 97Essay Questions 97Appendix 983 Realism and Anti-realism 100Introduction 100Donald Davidson, ‘On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme’ 106Commentary on Davidson 117Thomas Nagel, ‘Thought and Reality’ (extract from The View from Nowhere) 125Commentary on Nagel 139Further reading 145Essay questions 1454 Realism and Nominalism 146Introduction 146Michael Devitt, ‘ ‘‘Ostrich Nominalism’’or ‘‘Mirage Realism’’?’ 150Commentary on Devitt 157D. M. Armstrong, ‘Against ‘‘Ostrich’’ Nominalism: A Reply to Michael Devitt’ 160Commentary on Armstrong 170Further reading 173Essay questions 1745 Possible Worlds 175Introduction 175David Lewis, extract from Counterfactuals 183Commentary on Lewis 187Saul Kripke, extract from Naming and Necessity 192Commentary on Kripke 197Further reading 203Essay questions 2036 Persistence over Time 204Introduction 204David Lewis, extract from On the Plurality of Worlds 209Commentary on Lewis 212Sally Haslanger, ‘Endurance and Temporary Intrinsics’ 214Commentary on Haslanger 220David Lewis, ‘Tensing the Copula’ 223Commentary on Lewis 230Further reading 233Essay questions 233Bibliography 234Index 240