| CODE | PHI2008 | ||||||
| TITLE | Advanced Topics in Metaphysics | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Philosophy | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Matter, Time and Space This study-unit will seek to understand the ways in which matter, space and time have been understood within philosophy and within scientific research. It will treat subjects such as the nature of concrete particulars and what it might mean for a concrete particular to persist through time; the question as to whether space and time are absolute or relative, objective or subjective; the question of the asymmetricity of time; and the philosophical repercussions of Special and General Relativity on our concepts of space and time. Metaphysics 4: Atheism The study-unit will seek to understand different kinds of atheism and a-theism. It will attempt to examine the kinds of arguments for atheism with particular focus on the so-called ‘problem of evil’. It will also seek to see what kind of world-view is associated with atheism and attempt to elucidate and assess the kind of explanations atheism gives for the world and its order. Particular attention will be given to the claims that ‘God is at best a superfluous and even irrational construction’, and that ‘chance is a sufficient explanation’. Reading List Matter, Time and Space - Loux, Michael J.(2005) Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction. London: Routledge. - Van Inwagen P. and Zimmermann D.W., The Oxford Handbook of Metaphysics, Oxford University Press 2005. - Van Inwagen P. and Zimmermann D.W. (2005) Metaphysics: The Big Questions. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. 1. Space and Time: “substantivalism” versus “mentalism” 2. The Leibniz-Clarke Debate 3. Augustine on Time 4. Leibnizian relational theory of space and time and Relativity Theory 5. Presentism and Eternalism 6. Is Fatalism Necessary? 7. Do things endure or do they perdure? 8. A history of the concept of ‘substance’ 9. ‘Bundle’ theories and ‘substratum’ theories 10. The contemporary problem of universals Metaphysics 4: Atheism - Craig W.L. and Sinnott-Armstrong W. (2004) God? A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist Oxford: Oxford University Press. - Flew A., There is (No) A God (2007) New York: Harper One. - Haldane J., and Smart J.J.C. (1996) Theism and Atheism. Oxford: Blackwell. - Mackie J.L. (1982) The Miracle of Theism. Oxford: Clarendon Press. - Martin M. (ed.) (2007) The Cambridge Companion to Atheism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1. Atheism as an historical concept 2. A conceptual presentation of atheism 3. The collapse of the metaphysical view of causation as the basic challenge to the cosmological kind of argument for the existence of God 4. Objections against the argument from design 5. Scientism as a world-view 6. The problem of evil 7. Alternative explanations for religion: Freud 8. Alternative explanations for religion: Marx 9. A radical critique of religion: Nietzsche 10. Miracles and the question of divine intervention in creation 11. Realism and anti-realism |
||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
||||||
| LECTURER/S | Mark Sultana |
||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
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. |
|||||||