Introduction to Metaphysics

Pre-requisites: None. Knowledge of English language is desirable, not necessary.

Course objectives: Introduction to basic metaphysical issues. Acquisition of philosophical knowledge and skills that are necessary to evaluate the proposed arguments and for independent creation of arguments in favor of a thesis or against it.

Course description: The course will begin with general disscusions on concept, types and history of metaphysics, the basic metaphysical viewpoints, ontology and its dependance on the conceptual frameworks. After that, the course will focus on a series of specific topics such as universals, particulars, events, propositions and causality. The course deals with necessity and probability as modal cateogories, and their relation to the idea of possible worlds and to the old issue of relation between mind and body. Also, it will be discussed the properties and ontological status of space and time, the question of what constitutes the identity of things and people through time and, eventually, the problem of free will with its teological origins and great ethical importance.

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the course, students will be familiar with the most important metaphysical issues, assumptions and views. Also, they will master the basics of philosophical analysis, argumentation and writing.

Literature/Reading:

• Pjer Dijem, Cilj i struktura fizičke teorije, Izdavačka knjižarnica Zorana Stojanovića, Sremski Karlovci - Novi Sad 2003.
• Bertrand Rasel, Osnovni problemi filozofije, NOLIT, Beograd 1980., poglavlja 1-4
• Fridrih Koplston, Istorija srednjevekovne filozofije, poglavlje 14
• Miloš Arsenijević, Vreme i vremena, Dereta, Beograd 2005, poglavlje „Ontološki status vremena“
• Neven Sesardić, Fizikalizam, poglavlje 5, Istraživačko-izdavački centar SSO Srbije, Beograd 1984.
• Aristotel: Organon, poglavlje „Kategorije“
• Barkli, Dž., Rasprava o ljudskom saznanju, odeljak 1
• Hjum, Rasprava o ljudskoj prirodi, knjiga 1, deo 1, poglavlje 7; knjiga 1, deo 3, poglavlja 14-15
• Lajbnic, Monadologija
• V.O.V. Kvajn, „O onome čega ima“ i „Ontološka relativnost“, u V.O.V.Kvajn Ontološka relativnost i drugi eseji, Izdavačka knjižarnica Zorana Stojanovića, Sremski Karlovci-Novi Sad 2007.
• Donald Dejvidson, „Individuacija događaja“ u D. Dejvidson Metafizički ogledi, Radionica studentskog izdavačkog centra, Beograd 1995.
• A.T. Plejs, „Da li je svest moždani proces?“ u zborniku Eseji iѕ filozofije duha, Mali Nemo, Pančevo 2004.
• Stiven Barker, Filozofija matematike, NOLIT, Beograd 1973.
• Aleksandar Pražić, Reč o slobodi, Prvi deo , Mala edicija Ideja, Beograd, ili neko drugo izdanje
• Preporučena strana literatura
• Michael J. Loux, Introduction to Metaphysics, III edition, Routledge, New York 2006.
• Michael J. Loux ed., Metaphysics, Contemporary Readings, Routledge, London and New York 2006.
• Michael J. Loux and Dean W. Zimmerman, The Oxford Handbook of Metaphysics, Oxford and New York 2005.
• D.W. Hamlin, Metaphysics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1992.
• Studenti će od nastavnika dobiti posebnu literaturu za pisanje seminarskih radova koja je prilagođena temi koju budu izabrali.