A Companion to Metaphysics

Since its publication over a decade ago, A Companion to Metaphysics has established itself as the leading one–volume reference resource in the field. This extended and revised new edition brings the Companion up to date. A new section of longer review essays focuses on the major topics that continue to have an abiding centrality for the field and which have seen significant developments in recent years, including Fictional Entities, Individuation, Persistence, Realism & Anti–realism about Abstract Entities, as well Causation, Freedom of the Will, the Mind/Body Problem, Modality, and Space & Time. In addition the central A–Z section, consisting of nearly three hundred entries, has been extended with new entries on emerging topics and major metaphysicians and the existing entries have been brought up to date where necessary. Written by leading figures in the field and offering comprehensive coverage of both historical and contemporary metaphysics and from analytic and continental traditions, the entries in this extensively cross–referenced volume combine to form a complete and up to date reference guide for student and professional alike.

List of Contributors. Introduction. A Companion to Metaphysics. Index.

Jaegwon Kim is William Perry Faunce Professor of Philosophy at Brown University. His publications include a number of influential papers in metaphysics and philosophy of mind, and a book entitled Supervenience and Mind (1993). He is Editor with Ernest Sosa of Blackwell Readings in Epistemology. Ernest Sosa is Romeo Elton Professor of Natural Theology at Brown University. With Jonathan Dancy he is also co–editor of another volume in the Blackwell Companions to Philosophy Series, A Companion to Epistemology , and his other publication include Knowledge in Perspective.

"The Companion has a number of virtues that make it a useful resource for both students and professional philosophers. I must single out those {entries} on the continental philosophers and concepts as especially clearly written, non–jargony introductions. Many of the entries provided charming little arguments, or twists, on behalf of the author′s already known positions. Indeed, this feature of the ′Companion′ makes it of value even to the most advanced philosopher, already quite familiar with the topic." Alan Sidelle, The Philosophical Review