Metaphysics (PHIL 330)

Metaphysics is perhaps the broadest and most fundamental area of philosophy because it takes literally everything as its subject: metaphysics is the study of reality.  This class, of course, cannot cover everything, but we will tackle some of the most persistent metaphysical questions that have troubled thoughtful people for centuries.  What makes me the same person across time?  What is the nature of space and time?  Does God exist?  Do we have free will?  Why does anything exist at all?  Many of us think that we know the answers to these questions, but do we have good reasons for these beliefs?  In this class, we will learn to appreciate the difficulties that these questions pose, and develop the sort of critical skills necessary to come to have good reasons for our beliefs about these fundamental and timeless philosophical issues. Our main text will beRiddles of Existence by Conee and Sider.

This course has a pre-requisite of one previous philosophy course. If you wish to take the course but have not yet taken a philosophy course, please contact the instructor at asay@email.[you know the rest].

Jamin Asay’s webpage