PHIL 200 A1

PHIL 200 A1: Metaphysics
Instructor: Phil Corkum

Course Description

What is metaphysics, as it is done in philosophy departments? Going to the ‘metaphysics’ section of a bookstore won’t help you to answer this question. Philosophical metaphysics isn’t muddy thinking about extraordinary things but rather clear thinking about ordinary things. In this course, we’ll study several central topics in metaphysics, including: universals, particulars, time and persistence. These are all garden variety concepts which we use in our everyday thinking. We probably all think that there’s something that two things share when they’re both red, both round or both apples; or that I’m, in some sense, the same person today as I was yesterday. Although these concepts are all quite ordinary, it’s challenging to say clearly and precisely what it is that is shared when two things are both red, or in what sense I’m the same person from day to day. The pedagogical goal of the course it to introduce some of the main topics of metaphysics; the student will also gain skills needed to take further philosophy courses. Although there are no prerequisites, and the reading workload is moderate, it’s unavoidable that many of the readings are difficult.