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Instructor: |
Prof. Thomas
F. Pyne |
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Office Hours: |
M
3:00-4:00, T 1:00-2:00; other times by appointment. In addition I
will conduct ‘virtual’ office hours via SacCT ‘Discussions’. |
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Office Location: |
Mendocino
3000 |
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Phone: |
(Office)
278-7288 (Philosophy
Department) 278-6424 |
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Email: |
Faculty
Website: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/p/pynetf/ |
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Required Text: |
[1]
Peter Van Inwagen & Dean W. Zimmerman, editors. Metaphysics: The Big Questions. Second Edition. Basil Blackwell ( [2]
“Metaphysics Toolkit” |
SacCT: |
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Course Description |
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Examines argument concerning the nature of reality. Representative topics include: substance, space, time, God, free will,
determinism, identity, universals.
Emphasis is on contemporary formulations. Prerequisite: 6 units in philosophy or instructor
permission. Units: 3.0.
– The course is designed to give a
systematic introduction to philosophical problems that are metaphysical; to show what distinguishes metaphysical
problems from other philosophical problems.
– We will then investigate a restricted
sampling of metaphysical problems which are under active investigation in the
present.
– This investigation will involve study of
solutions by contemporary philosophers.
– Finally, the course will require some
metaphysical investigation by the student, as well as some writing.
Students will
be expected to:
– Demonstrate a developed ability to read
and understand contemporary philosophical texts.
– Evaluate critically the concepts and
arguments contained in the texts;
– Write argumentative papers applying
philosophical concepts and reasoning to issues in metaphysics;
– Students will demonstrate their
achievement of the course objectives and expectations through:
– Reading comprehension quizzes on each
reading assignment;
– Exams which test for a deeper
understanding of metaphysical issues, as well as of the arguments for or
against the different sides; students
will show their understanding via essay answers;
– Participation in in-class and online
discussion;
– Composition of argumentative papers on
assigned topics in metaphysics.
– PHIL 181: Metaphysics is the department-designated
class for information competency assessment of Philosophy majors. Thus the assignments will be designed to
assess your ability to use information resources like the library resources,
databases, reference works, etc.
While PHIL 181
will be in most ways a standard lecture/discussion class, it will be
‘web-assisted.’ That is, we will be
using some features of the SacCT course management system.
SacCT is a
program designed for on-line college courses.
Among other things, it serves as a location for course material, lecture
notes, tests, papers, and discussions.
I will make
important course content available, including lecture notes and other
supplementary material.
You will be
taking quizzes and exams, participating in discussions, and submitting papers
through SacCT. In addition, you may
communicate with me, as well as with other students in the class, through the
SacCT Mail facility.
You will use
your Saclink account to log into the course from the SacCT Login
page
(https://online.csus.edu).
If you do not
have a Saclink account yet, please refer to the Setting Up a Saclink Account webpage
(http://www.csus.edu/saclink/settingUp.stm) to create a saclink account
online.
To get started
using SacCT, visit the Student
Resources webpage
(http://www.csus.edu/webct/student/) where you can access Online Tutorials,
Frequently Asked Questions, and other help resources.
The course will
use the communication tools built into SacCT:
– Announcements: It’s a good idea to check for announcements from
time to time during the semester
– Mail:
You may send me (or a classmate) a message via the ‘Mail’ function. I will respond promptly. (I can’t vouch for the classmate.)
– Discussions: You will be expected to participate in
discussions, whether in class or through the ‘Discussions’ function in SacCT.
– Calendar: Exams and due dates for papers will all
appear in the Calendar.
To access a
course in SacCT you will need access to the Internet and an internet browser
(Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari). To
ensure that you are using a supported browser and have required plug-ins please
run the Check Browser from your SacCT course.
Refer to the SacCT
Browser Tune-up page
for instructions.
For help or to
report a problem with SacCT you can:
– Visit the Student
SacCT FAQ’s webpage
– Submit a SacCT
Problem Form
– Contact the University Help Desk at
(916) 278-7337
1. Quizzes on Reading Assignments (15%)
You will be responsible for
the readings assigned for a particular class day. While you will be responsible for the whole
reading, I may indicate in the ‘Course Schedule’ (below) that you should pay
particular attention to some part of it.
As a result, it may happen that other parts will not be treated in
class. You will be responsible for them
anyway, and I will respond to questions regarding them.
The quiz for a given reading
assignment must be taken by the beginning of the class period for which it is
assigned.
I will open the window for
the reading assignment a week in advance;
the window will close at class time.
2. Midterm Exam (15%) Bluebook.
A combination of multiple-choice, fill-in, true/false questions, plus
some essay questions. The questions will
be on the readings, lectures, and discussions up to that point.
3. Final Exam (15%) Bluebook.
Same as the midterm. The final
will cover all the readings, lectures, and discussions since the midterm.
4. First Paper (4 pages) (15%)
See ‘Paper Topics’
below.
5. Second Paper (4-7 pages) (15%)
See ‘Paper Topics’
below.
6. Third Paper (7-10 pages) (15%)
See ‘Paper Topics’
below.
7. Discussion Contributions (10%)
You will be expected to make
regular contributions to discussion, either in the class period itself or in
the online ‘Discussion’ conducted in SacCT.
Papers will be
submitted in SacCT.
In writing the
paper, follow the instructions for argumentative papers found in the
“Guidelines for Writing Philosophy Papers” at the Philosophy Department
website: http://www.csus.edu/phil/WritingGuidelines&GradingStandardsforPapers.htm
To submit a
paper in SacCT:
– Enter SacCT at https://online.csus.edu.
– Open the main page for PHIL 181.
– Open ‘Assignments’ (under ‘Course Tools’
on the left margin).
– Open the correct assignment; you will see the text of the assignment
itself as well as the due date and time.
– You will see a space for the paper –
don’t use that. (Some students,
operating on the Belt And Suspenders Principle, paste their paper into that
space just in case. That’s fine. But you don’t have to.)
– Click on the ‘Attachment’ button.
– Attach your paper as an editable
file that will open in Microsoft Word (not a .pdf or .htm file); if you’re unsure, attach it as a ‘text’
(.txt) or ‘rich text’ (.rtf); those
options are available in all word-processing programs.
– Late papers will be lowered a grade
increment for every day past the due date.
I leave the window open for submitting a paper for five days after its
due date. After that the paper will not
be accepted.
– Philosophy involves discussion and
argument. It’s the best way to explore
philosophical questions, the best way to learn how to philosophize. So I will expect you to participate in the
discussions. You will either receive
full credit for participation (10%) or no credit, depending on how seriously
you take your responsibility to make contributions. If I notice that you are not participating, I
will let you know that I expect more.
– To participate in an online discussion:
o Enter SacCT;
o Open ‘Discussions’ (under ‘Course Tools’
on the left margin’);
o Click on one of the topics; you will be
able to read the other contributions;
o You can contribute to the discussion by
clicking ‘Create Message’.
Reading Quizzes: There
will be a reading quiz on every assignment.
A reading quiz will consist of five to ten multiple-choice questions
designed so that a careful reader should be able to answer them. The quiz will ‘open’ a week before it is
due; it will ‘close’ at the beginning
of the first class period in which the reading will be discussed.
To take a
reading quiz in SacCT:
Enter SacCT at https://online.csus.edu;
– Open the main page for PHIL 181;
– Open ‘Assessments’ (under ‘Course Tools’
on the left margin of the main page);
– Answer the questions (make sure you
‘submit’ each question as well as the entire exam).
You will have
only one chance to take the quiz, so check your answers before submitting.
Exams:
Exam 1 and the Final Exam will be taken in-class.
Exams: Exams
will receive numerical grades; your
score will be ‘out of’ 100.
Papers: Papers
will receive letter grades. To determine
your final grade, I will convert those letter grades into the highest number in
the grade range under ‘Grading Criteria’ below. (For example, a B grade on a
paper converts to 89.)
Reading Quizzes: Reading
quizzes will receive a grade of 2 (full credit), 1 (inadequate
comprehension), or 0 (not taken).
An average of 1.7 or above will receive full credit (100). Lower scores will be prorated.
Discussion: Discussion participation will receive either complete credit (100) or none (0). Periodically, I will post progress reports on your participation in the Gradebook. These progress reports are indications of what you would get at the end of the semester if you continue your present course. That grade does not ‘count’; it’s just information.
Final Grade: The
final grade for the course will be determined by the weighted sum of the exams,
quizzes, discussion, and papers.
|
Scaled Score |
Letter Equivalent |
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100-94 |
A |
|
93-92 |
A- |
|
91-90 |
B+ |
|
89-84 |
B |
|
83-82 |
B- |
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81-80 |
C+ |
|
79-74 |
C |
|
73-72 |
C- |
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71-70 |
D+ |
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69-64 |
D |
|
63-62 |
D- |
|
61- |
F |
For reading
quizzes you will be able to see your score as soon as you have submitted your
quiz.
For exams, and
papers I will post the grades as soon as I have finished grading them.
You can see your grades during the semester by going to ‘MyGrades’ in SacCT.
I expect
attendance at every class meeting. If
for some excellent reason you cannot make class, let me know – preferably in
advance. If this is impossible, let me
know by 5:00 on the day you miss, preferably by an e-mail message within
SacCT. I will lower you a grade
increment for every absence in which you fail to contact me the same day.
Class meetings
will begin at 11:00 am with a roll. Be
on time. Anticipate. Excuses don’t cut
it: I will treat a pattern of late
arrival as an unexcused absence.
I expect
attention to the material during class periods.
If there is a class discussion, I will serve as moderator; please wait to be recognized before making a
contribution.
If you wish to
ask a question, answer a question, or make a contribution to the class, please
ask to be recognized. There is no excuse
for conducting a private discussion during class time. I will treat a pattern of talking in class as
an unexcused absence.
Since
you may take exams and quizzes at your convenience, there will be no make-ups. Period.
The opening and closing dates and times will be listed in the calendar.
For papers, I
will leave the assignment window open for five days after the due date. The
grade will be lowered a grade increment for every day it’s late.
Students are
expected to be familiar with the University’s Academic Honesty, Policy &
Procedures. The policy on Academic
Honesty and other information regarding student conduct can be accessed from
the University
Policy Manual
(http://www.csus.edu/umanual/index.htm).
The University
Library has a helpful treatment of plagiarism at
http://library.csus.edu/content2.asp?pageID=353.
The University
has very helpful information on plagiarism at the Library’s Plagiarism Website.
If you have a
disability and require accommodations, you need to provide disability
documentation to Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD). For more information please visit the SSWD website (http://www.csus.edu/sswd/). They are located in Lassen Hall 1008 and can
be contacted by phone at (916) 278-6955 (Voice) (916) 278-7239 (TDD only) or
via email at sswd@csus.edu.
Please discuss
your accommodation needs with me after early in the semester. Don’t wait until the first exam or
paper.
The Writing
Center provides encouraging, focused, and non-judgmental one-to-one tutorials
in writing. Their tutors can help with
writing at all points in the process, from initial planning and organizing
through developing and revising a paper. You can bring the assignment to them
for help.
The Sac State
Library’s webpage is http://library.csus.edu.
To find a book
or periodical, click on “Eureka: Library Catalogue” under “Resources and
Collections or go directly to http://eureka.lib.csus.edu/
For a largely
undergraduate institution, the Sac State library’s holdings and resources in
philosophy are pretty good. I
particularly recommend Sac State librarian Lisa Roberts’ website “Philosophy: Resources.”
Two ways to find it: through
“Research Guides” under “Resources and Collections”, or go directly to http://library.csus.edu/guides/robertsl/philoguide.htm
To access SacCT
from campus, or use any of the other campus online resources, you can use the
IRT managed student computer labs on campus. See University
Labs website , that is,
http://www.csus.edu/uccs/labs/generalinfo/about.stm
for information
about locations, hours, and resources available.
SacCT is the
course management system used on the Sac State campus for web-assisted courses.
To access a course on SacCT, you must login from the SacCT Login
Page
(https://online.csus.edu).
To learn more
about SacCT visit the Student
Resources webpage
(http://www.csus.edu/WebCT/student/) where you can view online Tutorials, FAQ’s
and other help resources.
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Introduction:
Metaphysical Questions Among Philosophical Questions What
we are supplying are really remarks on the natural history of human beings; we are not contributing curiosities
however, but observations which no one has doubted, but which have escaped
remark only because they are always before our eyes. Wittgenstein,
Philosophical Investigations |
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Week |
Topic |
Readings |
Due Dates |
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Week 1 M 1/23 W 1/25 F 1/27 |
M: Introduction, What is a Philosophical
Question? Which Philosophical
Questions are Metaphysical? W: What Is It to ‘Countenance’ an Entity? Plato’s Beard and Ockham’s Razor F: Solutions to Plato’s Beard |
M: “Introduction,” 1-7; “Metaphysics Toolkit” W: Quine, “On What There Is,” 28-40 F: [Lecture] |
M: W: Reading Quiz 1: Quine, “On What There Is” F: |
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Week 2 M 1/30 W 2/1 F 2/3 |
M: Quine’s
Criterion: A Proposed Revision W: Quine’s Criterion and the Task of Ontology F: The Earliest Meta-physicians: Parmenides and Zeno |
M: Church, “Women and Abstract Entities”;
Stroud, “The Physical World” W: F: Lewis, “Holes,” 22-28 |
M: Reading Quiz 2: Church, “Women and Abstract Entities”;
Stroud, “The Physical World” W: F: Reading Quiz 3: Lewis, “Holes |
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Part I: The
Nature of Space and Time 6.4312
The solution of the riddle of life in space and time lies outside
space and time. Wittgenstein, Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus |
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Week 3 M 2/6 W 2/8 F 2/10 |
M: Is Space Discrete or
Continuous? W: Are There Any Actual Concrete Infinities? F: Is Space Substantial or Relational? |
M: Black, “Achilles and the
Tortoise,” 186-195 W: Salmon, “A Contemporary
Look at Zeno’s Paradoxes,” 195-215 F: Martin Gardner, “The Fourth Dimension,”
165-168
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M: Reading Quiz 4: Black,
“Achilles and the Tortoise” W: Reading Quiz 5: Salmon F: Reading Quiz 6: Gardner |
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Week 4 M 2/13 W 2/15 F 2/17 |
M: Is Space Three
Dimensional? W: What Must Be in the
World for Anything to be ‘Left’ or ‘Right’ of Anything Else? F: The Unreality of Time |
M: Van Cleve, “Incongruent Counterparts and
Higher Dimensions,” 168-175 W: [Lecture] F: McTaggart, from The Nature of Existence,
116-123 |
M: Reading Quiz 7: Van
Cleve W: F: Reading Quiz 8:
McTaggart |
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Week 5 M 2/20 W 2/22 F 2/24 |
M: McTaggart (Cont.) W: Objections to
McTaggart’s Argument F: Is There Anything
Special about the Present? |
M: McTaggart, from The
Nature of Existence, 116-123 W: Broad, “McTaggart’s
Arguments…,” 124-131 F: Prior, “Changes in Events and Changes in
Things,” 131-141; C.D. Broad, ”The
General Problem of Time and Change,” 1441-149 |
M: Paper 1 due 11:30 pm W: Reading Quiz 9: Broad, “McTaggart’s
Arguments…” First Discussion
Progress Report Posted in “Gradebook” F: Reading Quiz 10: Prior, “Changes in
Events…,” and Broad, “The General Problem….” |
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Week 6 M
2/27 W
2/29 |
M: A Tenseless World W: “Thank Heavens, That’s
Over!” |
M: Williams, “The Myth of
Passage,” 149-161 W: W: Prior, “Some Free
Thinking About Time,” 161-165 |
M: Reading Quiz 11:
Williams, “The Myth of Passage W:” W: Reading Quiz 12: Prior,
“Some Free Thinking about Time” |
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Part II: The
Furniture of Reality 1.1
The World is the totality of facts, not of things. Wittgenstein, Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus |
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Universals |
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F 3/2 |
F: The Problem of Universals: Universalia ante Res; Universalia in Rebus |
F: [“Metaphysics
Toolkit”; Van Inwagen & Zimmerman,
‘Introduction,’ 7-13 |
F: Reading Quiz 13: “Metaphysics Toolkit,” Van
Inwagen & Zimmerman |
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Week 7 M 3/5 W 3/7 F 3/9 |
M: Guest Lecturer W: Exam 1 F: No class meeting |
M: W: Bring Bluebook F: |
M: W: Exam
1 F: |
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Week 8 M 3/12 W 3/14 F 3/16 |
M: Nominalism and Other
Reductive Strategies W: Resemblance v. Universalia in Rebus F: Trope Theory |
M: Armstrong, “Universals
and Attributes,” 59-67 W: H.H. Price, “Universals and Resemblances,”
67-84 F: D.C. Williams, “The Elements
of Being,” 84-96 |
M: Reading Quiz 14:
Armstrong, “Universals and Attributes” W: Reading Quiz 15: Price, “Universals and
Resemblances” F: Reading Quiz 16:
Williams, “The Elements of Being” |
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Individuals |
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Week 9 M 3/19 W 3/21 F 3/23 |
M: Spring
Recess W: Spring
Recess F: Spring
Recess |
M: W: F: |
M: W: F: |
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Week 10 M 3/26 W 3/28 F 3/30 |
M: Leibniz’s Principle W: Leibniz’s Principle
(cont.) F: The Two Spheres Problem Updated |
M: Max Black,” The Identity
of Indiscernibles,” 96-105 W: Max Black,” The Identity
of Indiscernibles,” 96-105 F: Zimmerman, “Distinct
Indiscernibles and the Bundle Theory,” 105-111 |
M: Reading Quiz 17: Black,
“Identity of Indiscernibles W: F: Reading Quiz 18: Zimmerman,“Distinct Indiscernibles” |
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Part III:
Identity |
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Identity Through Change 6.371
The whole modern conception of the world is founded on the illusion
that the so-called laws of nature are the explanations of natural phenomena. Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus |
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Week 11 M 4/2 W 4/4 F 4/6 |
M: The Ship of Theseus F: The ‘Error Theory’ of
Identity Through Change F: Can Objects Change by gaining or losing
parts |
M: [Lecture] W: Arnauld and Nicole, “Of
Confused Subjects which are Equivalent to Two Subjects…” 239-241 F: Olson, “The Paradox of Increase,” 241-263 |
M: Second Discussion
Progress Report Posted W:
Reading Quiz 19: Arnauld &
Nicole, “Of Confused Subjects” F: Reading
Quiz 20: Olson, “Paradox of Increase Paper 2 due 11:30 pm. |
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Week 12 M 4/9 |
M: “Mereological Constancy” |
M: Olson, “The Paradox of
Increase,” 241-263 |
M: |
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Identity Through Time The sun is
new each day. Heraclitus |
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W 4/11 F 4/13 |
W: How Do Objects Persist Through Time (If
They Do)? F: Four-Dimensional
‘Time-slices’ |
W: Quine, “Identity, Ostension, and
Hypostasis,” 263-265 F: Lewis, “In Defense of
Stages,” 265-267; Lewis, “The Problem
of Temporary Intrinsics,” 267-269 |
W: Reading Quiz 21: Quine,
“Identity F: Reading Quiz 22: Lewis |
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Week 13 M 4/16 W 4/18 |
M: The Ontological Importance of the Present W: The Ontological
Importance of the Present (cont.) |
M: Zimmerman, “Temporary
Intrinsics and Presentism,” 269-281 W: |
M: Reading Quiz 23: Zimmerman W: |
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Part IV: Realism
and Anti-Realism 4. 2211 Even if the world is infinitely complex, so
that every fact consists of infinitely many states of affairs and every state
of affairs is composed of infinitely many objects, even so there must be
objects and states of affairs. Wittgenstein, Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus You can’t get behind the rules,
because there isn’t any behind. Wittgenstein, Philosophical Grammar |
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F 4/20 |
F: What is ‘Realism’? |
F : [Lecture] |
F:
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Week 14 M 4/23 W 4/25 F 4/27 |
M: The Inscrutability of
Reference and Ontological Relativity W: Putnam’s ‘Internal’
Realism F: Internal Realism (cont.) |
M: Quine, “Ontological Relativity » W: Putnam, “After Metaphysics,
What?” 547-552; Putnam, “Truth and Convention,”
552-558 F: |
M: Reading Quiz 24: Quine W: Reading Quiz 25: Putnam F: |
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Week 14 M 4/30 W 5/2 F 5/4 |
M: Conceptual Relativism W: Sosa’s Conceptual
Relativism (Cont.) F: Are We Really Driven to Ontological
Relativity by Weird Sortals like ‘Snowdiscall’? |
M: Sosa, “Nonabsolute
Existence and Conceptual Relativity,” 558-566; Sosa, “Addendum to “Nonabsolute Existence
and Conceptual Relativity,” 566-568 W: Sosa, “Nonabsolute
Existence and Conceptual Relativity,” 558-566; Sosa, “Addendum to “Nonabsolute Existence
and Conceptual Relativity,” 566-568 F: [Lecture] |
M: Reading Quiz 26: Sosa W: F: |
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Week 15 M 5/7 W 5/9 F 5/11 |
M: Strange Kinds and
Ordinary Objects W: Kicking It Old-School: What About Aristotelian Hylomorphism? F: Paper Workshop |
M: [Lecture] W: F: [Discussion on papers] |
M: W: F: |
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Finals
Week M 5/14 W 5/16 F 5/18 |
M: W: F: |
M: W: F: |
M: W: Final exam 10:15-12:15 (Bring Bluebook) F: Paper 3 due 11:30 pm |
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The
descriptions and due dates are subject to change for pedagogical reasons.
(4 pages)
Given
what we have discussed in Metaphysics class thus far...
Choose an
entity (or category of entity) which is widely believed to exist, but which you
think we should not countenance.
The paper
should consider the following points:
a)
Why do some people countenance it?
That is, what role does it play in their ontology? (No disparaging psychological diagnoses: give their reasons);
b) Why do you not accept it? Give your argument for its nonexistence;
c)
On your account, what takes its place, or plays its role in your
ontology? (Alternatively, explain why
nothing need play that role.)
Do not
write on Santa Claus, UFOs, Bigfoot, or anything like that. They don't raise metaphysical problems.
(4-7
pages)
Give your
account of Max Black's "Two Spheres' problem, presented in his essay,
"The Identity of Indiscernibles," and updated in Zimmerman's
"Distinct Indiscernibles and the Bundle Theory."
Comment
in particular on the following:
a)
Black and Zimmerman clearly believe that the ‘Two Spheres’ thought
experiment shows that the Identity of Indiscernibles is false: A world containing two spheres with all and
only the same properties is a possible world.
Do you
agree?
If so,
what theory of individuals do you favor instead, and for what reasons?
If not,
where do Black's and Zimmerman's arguments fail?
b) Are there any properties by which the
sphere(s) a and b can be distinguished? If so, what properties are they?
Paper 3 (due Friday, May 18, 11:30 pm)
(7-10
pages)
Take
on a metaphysical problem of your own choosing and write a scholarly
argumentative paper.
It
doesn't have to be one we've studied in class.
Clear
your topic with me first.
Good luck in all your courses this semester!