Module overview
Metaphysics is the study of what kinds of things there and what they are like in the most general terms. We have both a common sense picture of the world and a scientific picture of the world, and sometimes these two appear to conflict. Part of the job of metaphysics is to try to adjudicate what, if anything, in our picture of the world needs to be given up. Central questions in metaphysics include:
Objects: Are there nonexistent objects? Can there be distinct identical objects? Can there be distinct objects in exactly the same place at the same time?
Time: How do objects persist through time and change? Do future and past objects exist? Does time flow and at what rate?
Persons: What constitutes our personal identity? Are we animals, souls, or something else? Does identity matter for persons to survive through time and change?
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the bearing of issues in metaphysics on issues in other areas of philosophy and on issues in other subjects.
- arguments for and against those answers
- some central questions in metaphysics and influential answers to them.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- articulate and evaluate views and arguments systematically and critically.
- work effectively to deadlines.
- present your theories and those of others in a clear and even-handed fashion in writing.
- find ways of reconciling views which appear to be in competition.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- identify and weigh the theoretical virtues which different metaphysical theories possess, such as simplicity, explanatory power, appeal to common-sense.
- develop and critically evaluate arguments for and against positions in metaphysics
- analyse metaphysical views and explore their implications.
Syllabus
Topics covered vary from year to year. Examples of possible topics are:
- Existent and nonexistent objects
- Identity and individuation
- Constitution and colocation
- Persistence through time
- Reality of time
- Personal identity
- Survival of persons
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures
- In-class discussion
- One-on-one consultation with module co-ordinator
Learning activities include
- Attending lectures
- Contributing to class discussion
- Doing independent research for and writing assessed essays and exams
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Wider reading or practice | 24 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 24 |
| Revision | 23 |
| Completion of assessment task | 22 |
| Lecture | 33 |
| Follow-up work | 24 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
An Introduction to Metaphysics, by John W. Carroll (Cambridge University Press, 2010).
Textbooks
S Mumford (2012). Metaphysics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Alyssa Ney (2014). Metaphysics: An Introduction. Routledge.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Essay proposal
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Students will receive written feedback. Students have the opportunity to receive further feedback from the module co-ordinator on any aspect of their performance during office hours or by appointment.
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
- Percentage contribution: 100%
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 50% |
| Exam | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Timed Assignment | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 50% |
| Exam | 50% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External