Metaphysics (Spring 2018)

INSTRUCTOR: Dr Bradley Rettler

CONTACT: rettlerb@gmail.com

OFFICE: Lowenstein 921B

OFFICE HOURS: Monday 11:15-12:30, Tuesday 1-3, and by appointment

Course Website: http://metaphysics.bradleyrettler.com

Resources

Course Syllabus

Schedule and Readings (readings are to be done by the day they are listed)

Jan 18: Introduction: What is Metaphysics?

Ontology
Jan 22: Quine - ``On What There Is'' (KSK) -- Sample Critical Paper

Jan 25: Lewis and Lewis- ``Holes'' (KSK) (or if you prefer videos...)

Jan 29: van Inwagen - ``Meta-ontology'' (Those inclined can also read Rettler (2016))

Feb 1: NO CLASS

Feb 5: Schaffer - ``On What Grounds What'' (KSK) (Those inclined can also read Rettler (2017))

Modality
Feb 8: Lewis - ``A Philosopher's Paradise'' (KSK)

Feb 12: Lewis, continued

Persistence
Feb 15: Lewis - ``The Problem of Temporary Intrinsics'' (KSK)

Feb 20 (TUESDAY): Haslanger - ``Endurance and Temporary Intrinsics'' (KSK)

Feb 22: Thomson - ``Parthood and Identity Across Time'' (KSK)

Time
Feb 26: McTaggart - ``The Unreality of Time'' (Those inclined can also read Rettler (2012))

March 1: Sider - ``Against Presentism''

Free will
March 5: Richard Taylor - ``Fatalism''

March 8: van Inwagen - The Consequence Argument

Composition
March 12: Sider - ``The Argument from Vagueness'' (KSK)

March 15: van Inwagen - Material Beings, Chapter 2

March 19: van Inwagen - Material Beings, Chapter 9 (Those inclined can also read Rettler (forthcoming))

March 22: NO CLASS -- SPRING BREAK

March 26: NO CLASS -- SPRING BREAK

March 29: NO CLASS -- EASTER

April 2: NO CLASS -- EASTER

Human Persons

April 5: Olson - ``An Argument for Animalism'' (KSK)

April 9: Lynne Rudder Baker - ``The Ontological Status of Persons'' (KSK)

Determined by Poll

Sexual Orientation
April 12: Robin Dembroff - "What is Sexual Orientation?"

Race

April 16: Charles Mills - "But what are you REALLY?"
April 19: NO CLASS

Art

April 23: Amie Thomasson - "The Ontology of Art"

April 26: Jerrold Levinson - "What a Musical Work Is"

Causation

April 30: David Lewis - "Causal Explanation"
May 3: Jonathan Schaffer - "Contrastive Causation"

May 3: Final Papers Due

May 10, 9:30am: Final Exam