| CODE | PHI2003 | ||||||
| TITLE | Metaphysics | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Philosophy | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Metaphysics 1: Ontology Introduction to Aristotle's Metaphysics. The main problems of Part One (Books Alpha to Epsilon). The history and the questions of metaphysics; anti-metaphysics (Logical Positivists, Heidegger, etc). The theory of causality as the key to the solution of metaphysical problems; Humean and other accounts of causality. What is a thing? What is it to exist? Criticisms of the concepts of substance and existence by empiricists and rationalists, especially Kant and Hume. Metaphysics 2: Ontology The main problems of Part Two of Aristotle’s Metaphysics (Books Zeta to Iota): the world of change (matter, form and the constitutive factors of things; potentiality, actuality and teleology), with a focus on the topic of chance and necessity in relation to contemporary discussions. Part Three (Kappa to Nu): the unchanging world (gods, numbers and ideas) with a focus on the relationship between mathematics and existence (with special reference to Frege and Wittgenstein). Metaphysics 3: Natural Theology A critical examination of proofs of God’s existence. Reading List - Aristotle, Metaphysics. - Burrell, D. (1973) Analogy and Philosophical Language, Yale University Press. - Harré, R. (1975) and Madden E.H, Causal Powers, Blackwell. - Von Wright, G.H (1974) Causality and Determinism, Columbia University Press. - Dummett, M., Frege. - Lazerowitz, M. and Ambrose, A. (1985) Necessity and Language, Croom Helm, London. - Lucas, J.R. (1989) The Future. Blackwell: Oxford. - Polkinghorne, J.(1993) Science and Creation, SPCK, London. (Important Chapters 1 – 4). - Brown, M. (1991) The Romance of Reason, St. Bede’s Publications, Petersham, Massachusetts, USA. (Important Chapters: 1, 2). - Bullough, E., (Trans.), Elpington G.A. (ed.) (1989) The Philosophy of St Thomas Aquinas, Ayer Co., Salem, New Hampshire, USA. - Kretzmann, N., and Stump, E., (eds.) (1993) The Cambridge Companion to Aquinas. Cambridge: CUP. (Important Chapters: 1-4, 9). - Martin. C. (ed.) (1988) The Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas. London: Routledge. (Important Chapters: 1-4). - McInerny, R. (1990) A First Glance at St Thomas Aquinas. Notre Dame, Indiana, USA: University of Notre Dame Press. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Mark Sultana |
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The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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