Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Metaphysics by Peter Van Inwagen ISBN: 0-8133-9055-9 Publisher: Westview Press Pub. Date: July, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.4 (5 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Introductory, but not basic...
Comment: Metaphysics often plays the role of modern science's curmudgeonly grandfather. While the relatively young discipline of science gains more and more prestige by showing us more and more of what empirical reality consists of and making larger and larger claims about what science will show us ("The Mind of God" one popular physicist proclaimed), Metaphysics is the hoary old guru that tugs on science's collar and squacks, "Look here, sonny, settle down, we don't have all the answers." Whether this explains the claims of some scientists that metaphysics (or philosophy in general) is redundant and irrelevant, who knows. What is known is that Metaphysics, and philosophy in general, is a place for questions that don't yet have answers. This book provides an excellent introduction to the field of metaphysics, and by the end of the book the reader will have a very good idea of its basic (but indefinite) scope and the questions it asks.
The introduction to the book lays the groundwork for philosophical thought. The author warns the reader not to expect to come out of this reading with any new "information" in the way a physics or biology textbook would teach you something concrete and almost unquestionable. Metaphysics is all about questions that dangle on the head of a pin, and the logic and methodologies one uses to sway the question to one side or the other (or maybe both or neither). The introduction basically admits that metaphysics is not a science and one shouldn't expect scientific knowledge from its study. This chapter alone should be required reading for all new philosophy students (I could have used it at the beginning of my studies some years back - it would have saved me a lot of second guessing and frustration).
The book is basically a whirlwind tour of philosophy that incorporates metaphysical questions and historical arguments. The monism of Spinoza and monism in general are examined. Bishop Berkeley's view of the external world (or lack of it) is put to various arguments. Anti-Realism is considered by the author almost incomprehensible (this chapter is pretty interesting). The classic ontological and cosmological arguments are picked apart (the notion of 'possible worlds' is also introduced) and finally subjects concerning human beings themselves are discussed at length: are we physical or non-physical things? Do we have free will? What is rationality? Each subject is put to the test: the author presents both pros and cons of all the positions one can take on the views, but ultimately the author has a side that he's arguing for. He's not shy about it, either, but he does present all sides fairly, not just the ones he's arguing for. Sometimes it's difficult to tell where the author will come out. In some chapters he seems to be arguing overwhelmingly for one position, when he is in fact for the opposite. This will keep you on your mental toes.
One almost shocking thing about this book is that the author presents his beliefs to the reader before he tears into the arguments. This is pretty rare in philosophy texts, and is very admirable considering that these confessed beliefs do not seem to interfere with the logic or reasoning of his arguments. I found that move pretty gutsy.
If you have a philosophy degree, likely the information in this book will not be new. Nonetheless, it is true that a degree is in no way required for reading this book. It was meant to be, as Van Inwagen says in the preface, "...a book that the - I hope not mythical - 'interested general reader' can pick up and read without guidance from an instructor." This doesn't mean that it's an easy read, quite the opposite. Following the logic of the arguments in many places takes patience. If you're new to some of the concepts, letting them soak in will also take some time. Regardless, this is probably the best introduction to the subject of metaphysics currently out there. Too bad about the cover; it makes the book like a dry overly academic textbook, which it's not. Even if you're skeptical about the value of philosophy, this book will give you something to chew on. But don't expect light and lazy rainy afternoon reading.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Broad Look at a Big Topic
Comment: Van Inwagen's (for now on, VI) work is a nice one to have if you are just getting into the field. As opposed to Michael Loux's work... which is more of a metaphysic-proper, this work focuses on three central questions:
1. What is the world like?
2. Why is there a world at all?
3. What is our place as human beings in this world?
The first question is answered by looking at issues such as nihilism vs monism vs neither. What about idealism? Is truth objective? Is there an external world? The second question concerns the ontological argument (Anselm's, Descartes', and a version of the modal-ontological argument) and the cosmological argument. VI, a Christian philosopher, does not find the arguments in favor of these (particular arguments) convincing. VI also has a nice treatment of this in "God, Knowledge, & Mystery." Thirdly, the question about our place in the universe concerns VI's argument for physicalism, incompatibilism, and a brief look at both the fine-tuning argument and teleological arugment.
Over all, this book was pretty good. VI writes pretty clearly and makes good suggestions on where to find more on a topic. One down side however is that he often articulates arguments provided in the past and will just say, "this was so and so's argument" instead of actually pointing you by reference to where the argument exists originally. So, you will have to read through VI's formulation of the arguments (in other words, assume he formed them correctly). On the other hand, VI is a good philosopher (despite my many disagreements with him :-) ) and I find it doubtful that he misrepresented any of the arguments that he attributed to anyone in particular. Good book!
(Important Note: Amazon listed my review in two places: under the one that was edited by Van Inwagen and the book that is written by Van Inwagen. My review here refers to the one that Van Inwagen wrote whereas Todd B. Vick's review refers to the edited copy).
Rating: 4
Summary: More Modern than Historical
Comment: This book was a little disappointing, but still pretty good for modern metaphysics. If you are wanting a modern compilation of essays on metaphysics then this text is 5 stars. If you are wanting an historical text, then you will be sorely disappointed (this is one of the reasons I gave this text 4 stars).
Van Inwagen and Zimmerman have edited an edition which contains articles/essays from modern philosophers (with the one exception of Anselm and possibly David Hume) on certain metaphysical issues regarding time and space, the relationship between an individual and its characteristics, the relation between the mind/body, human volition (acting freely), causes and their effects, necessary being, etc. Authors of the various articles include Hillary Putnam, Richard Swinburne, William James, Charlotte Witt, William Rowe, A.N. Prior, Peter Geach, Roderick Chisholm, W.V.O. Quine, J. McTaggart, J.J.C. Smart, and many others. Just by this list one can see that this text has a strong bent toward analytic philosophy (which makes you wonder why the text is 'metaphysics').
However, some of the articles are quite interesting and are written by some very well known modern and contemporary philosophers. This text, while lacking any historical dealings/writings with/on the issues of metaphysics at least gives the reader a pretty good idea of what has been herald over the last hundred or so years.
If you are wanting a more historical text, then move on, this one is not it. However, if you are wanting a contemporary/modern text on metaphysics, then this is the one for you!
 |
Title: Metaphysics : A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge Contemporary Introductions to Philosophy) by Michael J. Loux ISBN: 0415261074 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: 01 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
 |
Title: Ontology, Identity, and Modality : Essays in Metaphysics by Peter van Inwagen, Ernest Sosa, Jonathan Dancy, John Haldane, Gilbert Harman, Frank Jackson, William G. Lucan ISBN: 0521795486 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 22 March, 2001 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
 |
Title: A Companion to Metaphysics (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy Series) by Jaegwon Kim, Kim Jaegwon, Ernest Sosa ISBN: 0631199993 Publisher: Blackwell Publishers Pub. Date: August, 1996 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
 |
Title: Philosophical Analysis in the Twentieth Century, Volume 1 : The Dawn of Analysis by Scott Soames ISBN: 0691115737 Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr Pub. Date: 02 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
 |
Title: On the Plurality of Worlds by David K. Lewis ISBN: 0631224262 Publisher: Blackwell Publishers Pub. Date: December, 2000 List Price(USD): $33.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
