Reading Metaphysics: Selected Texts with Interactive Commentary

Introduction.

1 Personal Identity.

Introduction.

Derek Parfit, ‘Personal Identity’.

Commentary on Parfit.

Marya Schechtman, ‘Personhood and Personal Identity’.

Commentary on Schechtman.

Further Reading.

Essay Questions.

2 Free Will.

Introduction.

Peter van Inwagen, ‘The Incompatibility of Free Will and Determinism’.

Commentary on van Inwagen.

Daniel Dennett, ‘Could Have Done Otherwise’ (extract from Elbow Room).

Commentary on Dennett.

Further Reading.

Essay Questions.

Appendix.

3 Realism and Anti-realism.

Introduction.

Donald Davidson, ‘On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme’.

Commentary on Davidson.

Thomas Nagel, ‘Thought and Reality’ (extract from The View from Nowhere).

Commentary on Nagel.

Further reading.

Essay questions.

4 Realism and Nominalism.

Introduction.

Michael Devitt, ‘“Ostrich Nominalism” or “Mirage Realism”?’.

Commentary on Devitt.

D. M. Armstrong, ‘Against “Ostrich” Nominalism: A Reply to Michael Devitt’.

Commentary on Armstrong.

Further reading.

Essay questions.

5 Possible Worlds.

Introduction.

David Lewis, extract from Counterfactuals.

Commentary on Lewis.

Saul Kripke, extract from Naming and Necessity.

Commentary on Kripke.

Further reading.

Essay questions.

6 Persistence over Time.

Introduction.

David Lewis, extract from On the Plurality of Worlds.

Commentary on Lewis.

Sally Haslanger, ‘Endurance and Temporary Intrinsics’.

Commentary on Haslanger.

David Lewis, ‘Tensing the Copula’.

Commentary on Lewis.

Further reading.

Essay questions.

Bibliography.

Index