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Seminar
WiSe 19/20: Introduction to Metaphysics
Barbara Vetter
Comments
Metaphysics is one of the central areas of philosophy. Historically, it has been referred to as the study of "being qua being" and as "first philosophy", but has also been rejected as mere speculation or nonsense. Today, we might say that metaphysics is the systematic reflection on certain fundamental structures of reality and our place in it.
The seminar introduces students to contemporary (analytic) metaphysics, focussing on a selection of six topics: free will; possibilities and possible worlds; laws of nature; ontology or "what there is"; properties, universals and realism; the aims and possibility of metaphysics. We will read and discuss classic texts from the 20th century as well as some very recent work. Each topic will be addressed by two texts which take opposing stances, thus giving students an idea of the central debates.
Many (but not all) texts will be taken from Helen Beebee & Julian Dodd, "Reading Metaphysics: Selected Texts with Interactive Commentary", Blackwell 2007.
The seminar will be held in English.
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16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Thu, 2019-10-17 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-10-24 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-10-31 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-11-07 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-11-14 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-11-21 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-11-28 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-12-05 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-12-12 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2019-12-19 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2020-01-09 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2020-01-16 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2020-01-23 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2020-01-30 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2020-02-06 16:00 - 18:00
Thu, 2020-02-13 16:00 - 18:00