Ontology B

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This course complements Ontology A, giving the students further insight into core metaphysical problems in the tradition of analytic philosophy. In this class we will discuss the following topics: the ontology of time and change, the problem of temporal persistence of objects, diachronic (transtemporal) identity of things and people, causation and determinism, laws of nature, the existence of free will. Discussions will be based on texts written by modern analytical philosophers such as P. van Inwagen, D. Lewis, J. Mackie, J. Kim et al.

The course will cover the following core topics in modern analytic metaphysics (ontology):

-The nature of time. A-series and B-series. McTaggart’s argument for the unreality of time. The problem of the passage of time. Eternalism and presentism.

- Persistence of temporal objects. Endurantism vs. perdurantism (three-dimensionalism vs. four-dimensionalism). The notion of temporal parts and temporal slices. The amputation “paradox”. Criteria of diachronic identity and the paradox of the ship of Theseus. Personal identity.

-Regularity theory of causation (Hume’s constant conjunction approach, nomological approach). The INUS condition and the concept of a causal field.

-Counterfactual approach to causation. David Lewis’s analysis and its criticism. The problem of preeemption and overdetermination.

-The notion of physical determinism. The initial conditions and laws of nature. Dispositional account of laws of nature vs. Humean supervenience account.

-The possibility of free will in a deterministic world. Arguments for incompatibilism and their possible refutations. The possibility of breaking deterministic laws.

Textbooks:

M.J. Loux, “Metaphysics: a contemporary introduction”, Routledge 2002,

T. Bigaj, “Metaphysics: a guided tour for beginners”, U. of Warsaw 2012

Readings

J. McTaggart, “The unreality of time”

J.J.C. Smart, “The space-time world”

D.C. Williams, “The myth of passage”

S. Haslanger, “Persistence through time”

M. Heller, “Temporal parts of four-dimensional objects”

P. van Inwagen, “The doctrine of arbitrary undetached parts”

J. Mackie, “Causes and conditions”

D. Lewis, “Causation”

J. Kim, “Causes and counterfactuals”

C. Hoefer, “Causal determinism”

H. Beebee, “The non-governing conception of laws of nature”

P. van Inwagen, “The incompatibility of free will and determinism”

D. Lewis “Are we free to break the laws?”

Students:

- have a basic knowledge of the place and role of ontology in relation to other philosophical disciplines and branches of learning, and of the subject and methodological specificity of ontology

- know basic ontological terminology in English

- know and understand major concepts and trends in contemporary ontology

- know ideas and arguments of the most prominent, twentieth- and twenty-first century philosophers working in the field of ontology

- know fundamental research methods and argumentative strategies proper to metaphysics

- know interpretation methods appropriate for ontological texts

Students:

- seek, analyze, evaluate, select, and use information from traditional and electronic sources

- read and interpret ontological texts

- understand oral presentations of ontological ideas and arguments

- correctly use ontological terminology

- adequately define ontologically important concepts

- analyze ontological arguments, identify their crucial assumptions and premises

- uncover relations between different ontological claims

- select argumentative strategies, formulate – on a basic level – critical arguments, reply to criticism

Students:

- know the scope of their knowledge and skills, acknowledge the need for constant education and professional development

- are open to new ideas and ready to change their minds in light of available data and arguments

- organize their work effectively and critically assess their progress

The final grade will be calculated as follows:

Written assignment (essay): 15%

Mid-term exam (written): 35%

Final exam (written): 50%

Maximal number of absences allowed in the semester: 2.