Objetives

The students should know the main positions concerning the core issues in contemporary ontology, together with the arguments supporting them

Competences

a) Analysis: — Capacity to distinguish the main arguments in a contemporary ontology text.

— Capacity to raise and solve questions in reading texts

b)Argumentation: Capacity to express and discuss arguments both in writing and verbally.

c) Bibliography Management: Capacity to avail oneself to the bibliography concerning contemporary research in ontology

Syllabus, outline

1. Truth, realism and antirealism.

2. Modality.

3. The persistence of objects.

4. Selfs and personal identity.

5. Fictions.

6. Metaontological reflections.

Methodology

25 hours of classroom teaching, including a general introduction, guidelines concenring the readings and the basic concepts required for their understanding. They will also include oral presentations by students.

Evaluation

a) Oral presentation 70%

b) 5-10 pages paer 30%

Bibliography

Peter van Inwagen: Metaphysics, Westview 2002.

Peter van Inwagen & Dean Zimmerman (comp): Metaphysics: the big questions, OUP 1998.