Routledge Companion To Metaphysics, The

Description:
'The Routledge Companion to Metaphysics' is an outstanding, comprehensive and accessible guide to the major themes, thinkers, and issues in metaphysics. The companion features over fifty specially commissioned chapters from international scholars which are organized into three clear parts: History of Metaphysics; Ontology; and, Metaphysics and Science. Each section features an introduction which places the range of essays in context, while an extensive glossary allows easy reference to key terms and definitions. 'The Routledge Companion to Metaphysics' is essential reading for students of philosophy and anyone interested in surveying the central topics and problems in metaphysics from causation to vagueness and from Plato and Aristotle to the present-day.

Review:
'The field of metaphysics is flourishing - and with an outstanding cast of contributors, the impressively-broad and satisfyingly-deep Routledge Companion to Metaphysics offers a superb guide to many of its most engaging and perplexing twists and turns, both historical and contemporary.' - Hud Hudson, Western Washington University, USA 'The Routledge Companion to Metaphysics promises to provide an accessible and historically informed survey of the field. It features over fifty articles, by some of the most prominent contemporary metaphysicians, covering virtually every major topic. Its combination of historical sweep and intellectual breadth set it apart from anything else on the market.' - Jonathan Schaffer, Australian National University, Australia 'This monumental volume presents a lively, up-to-date and extremely rich panorama of the present state of metaphysical debate. The 53 fully cross-referenced contributions are both admirably clear and deeply illuminating. It is difficult to imagine anything more useful for a course in metaphysics. This is bound to become a reference work for all scholars and students interested in metaphysics.' - Andrea Bottani, Bergamo University, Italy

Table of Contents:
General Introduction Robin Le Poidevin Part 1: History of Metaphysics Introduction to Part 1 Peter Simons 1. Pre-Socratic Themes: being, not-being and mind David Sedley 2. Plato: arguments for Forms Richard Patterson 3. Aristotle: form, matter and substance Stephen Makin 4. Aristotle: time and change Ursula Coope 5. Medieval Metaphysics 1: the problem of universals Claude Panaccio 6. Medieval Metaphysics 2: things, non-things, God and time John Marenbon 7. Descartes: the Real Distinction Dugald Murdoch 8. Hobbes: matter, cause and motion George MacDonald Ross 9. Spinoza: substance, attribute and mode Richard Glauser 10. Locke: The Primary and Secondary Quality Distinction Lisa Downing 11. Leibniz: mind-body causation and pre-established harmony Gonzalo Rodriguez-Pereyra 12. Berkeley: arguments for idealism Tom Stoneham 13. Hume: necessary connections and distinct existences Alexander Miller 14. Kant: the possibility of metaphysics Lucy Allais 15. Hegel and Schopenhauer: reason and will Rolf-Peter Horstmann 16. Anti-Metaphysics I: Nietzsche Maudemarie Clark 17. Bradley: the supra-relational absolute William Mander 18. Whitehead: process and cosmology Peter Simons 19. Heidegger: the question of Being Herman Philipse 20. Anti-Metaphysics II: verificationism and kindred views Cheryl Misak 21. Metaphysics revivified Avrum Stroll Part 2: Ontology: On What Exists Introduction to part 2 Ross P. Cameron 22. To Be Christopher Daly 23. Not to Be Graham Priest 24. Razor Arguments Peter Forrest 25. Substance David Robb 26. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Properties Ross P. Cameron 27. Universals: the contemporary debate Fraser McBride 28. Particulars herbert Hochberg 29. Persistence, Composition and Identity Nikk Effingham 30. Relations John Heil 31. Facts, Events and States of Affairs Julian Dodd 32. Possible Worlds and Possibilia John Divers 33. Mathematical Entities Peter Clark 34. Fictional Objects Richard Hanley 35. Vagueness Elizabeth Barnes 36. Minor Entities: surfaces, holes and shadows Roberto Casati 37. Truth-Makers and Truth-Bearers John Bigelow 38. Values Kevin Mulligan Part 3: Metaphysics and Science Introduction to Part 3 Robin Le Poidevin 39. Space, Absolute and Relational Tim Maudlin 40. The Infinite Daniel Nolan 41. The Passage of Time Eric Olsen 42. The Direction of Time D. H. Mellor 43. Causation Michael Tooley 44. Laws and Dispositions Stephen Mumford 45. Probability and Determinism Philip Percival 46. Essences and Natural Kinds Alexander Bird 47. Metaphysics and Relativity Katherine Hawley 48. Metaphysics and Quantum Physics Peter J. Lewis 49. Supervenience, Reductionism and Emergence Howard Robinson 50. Biometaphysics Barry Smith 51. Social Entities Amie L. Thomasson 52. The Mental and the Physical Louise Antony 53. The Self John Campbell A Short Glossary of Metaphysics Peter Simons and Ross P. Cameron

Author Biography:
Robin Le Poidevin, University of Leeds, UK Peter Simons, Trinity College Dublin Andrew McGonigal, University of Leeds, UK Ross Cameron, University of Leeds, UK