Metaphysics

PHI 301

This course is designed as an introduction to central issues in metaphysics. Broadly speaking, metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that investigates most general, abstract questions concerning reality. Such “big questions” include, for example: are people's actions determined, or do we have free will? Does God exist, and can we prove it? Do any things other than physical objects, for example numbers, exist? What is the nature of persons, and what kind of changes can a person undergo and still remain the same? What does it mean to say that a certain state of affairs is possible? Are racial categories socially constructed, and to what extent? Throughout the course, we will examine these and other issues. In the process, you will sharpen your analytic reading, thinking, and writing skills.