Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Institute of Philosophy
- Code
- BMI-FILD-321
- Title
- Metaphysics
- Usual semester
- Autumn
- ECTS
- 4
- Language
- Course content
- For the latest version of the syllabus, please visit the Philosophy course catalogue: http://lps.elte.hu/courselist/ Metaphysics studies extremely general concepts that the sciences (as well as ordinary people) often use but rarely if ever define. These concepts include time, causation, identity, part and whole, abstract and concrete, and many other fundamental notions. The seminar introduces some of the basic problems and approaches in contemporary metaphysics. We will talk about colours, parts and wholes, the existence of biological organisms, the idea of fundamental reality, possibility and necessity, the nature of abstract objects, the reality of social categories like gender, and some links between metaphysics and modern physics.
- Assessment method
- Grading Assessment is based on a written exam. Planned exam dates: 16 Dec, 13 Jan, 27 Jan. The exam will consist of (a) 10 multiple-choice questions about some readings (see the course homepage: elte.dkodaj.net) (50 points), and (b) an essay question (70 points). There will be 12 possible essay topics. These will be published before the exam on the course homepage. Grading: 60–69 points D (2), 70–79 points C (3), 80–89 points B (4), 90–99 points A (5), 100–109 points A+, 110–120 points A++.
- Bibliography
- Garrett, Brian (2011): What is This Thing Called Metaphysics? Routledge Grayling, A.C. (ed.) (1995): Philosophy. Oxford University Press. Huemer, Michael (2021): Knowledge Reality, and Value. van Inwagen, Peter (2009): Metaphysics. Westview Press.