The following framework of theses, roughly hewn, shapes contemporary discussion of the problem of mental causation: (1) Non-Identity of the Mental and the Physical Mental properties and states cannot be identified with specific physical properties and states. (2) Causal Closure (Completeness) of the Physical The objective probability of every physical event is fixed by prior physical events and...

Let us stipulate at the outset that “omission” refers to any action or event that doesn’t occur. In contrast, one might use “omission” to denote exclusively intentional failures (my refraining from picking up the dry cleaning), exclusively agent-involving failures (the gardener’s failure to water the plant), or failures with an explicitly normative dimension (as in Billy not following through o...

Heidegger’s Destruktion of the metaphysical tradition leads him to the view that all Western metaphysical systems make foundational claims best understood as ‘ontotheological’. Metaphysics establishes the conceptual parameters of intelligibility by ontologically grounding and theologically legitimating our changing historical sense of what is. By Žrst elucidating and then problematizing Heidegg...

Th ere are, I believe, fi ve main features that serve to distinguish traditional metaphysics from other forms of enquiry. Th ese are: the aprioricity of its methods; the generality of its subject-matter; the transparency or ‘ non-opacity’ of its concepts; its eidicity or concern with the nature of things; and its role as a foundation for what there is. In claiming that these are distinguishing ...