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CRS861Arts2 Unitsintermediate

Advance Metaphysics

This course, Advanced Metaphysics, is a 3-credit unit course designed to provide students with a broad understanding of metaphysics. It explores various systems of metaphysics, including realism, idealism, and nominalism. The course delves into concepts of nature, reality, and thought, addressing problems of being, God, and human nature. Students will examine substance, freedom, determinism, essence, existence, and theories of time and space, considering their relevance to contemporary problems.

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120h
Study Time
13
Weeks
9h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
MetaphysicsOntologyRealismIdealismNominalism

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level
Builds on foundational knowledge
65%
intermediate
📚
Math Level
No Math
📖
Learning Type
Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Nature of Metaphysics

2

Systems of Metaphysics

3

Problems of Being

4

Freedom and Determinism

5

Essence and Existence

6

Theories of Time and Space

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

short essays

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

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Policy Analyst

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Researcher

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Academic

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Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

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Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: Metaphysics: Nature, Branches and Other Disciplines

4h

Unit 1: Meaning, Conceptual and theoretical definition, branches and nature

2 study hours
  • •Define metaphysics conceptually and theoretically.
  • •Identify the branches of metaphysics and their subject matters.
  • •Distinguish metaphysics from other sciences.

Unit 2: General Issues and Problems in Metaphysics

2 study hours
  • •Examine general issues and problems in metaphysics.
  • •Discuss the relevance of metaphysics to contemporary problems.
  • •Analyze anti-metaphysical thinking.
Week
2

Module 2: Systems of Metaphysics

4h

Unit 1: Realism

2 study hours
  • •Define realism as a metaphysical system.
  • •Understand the historical development of realism.
  • •Identify the variants of realism and their proponents.

Unit II: Idealism

2 study hours
  • •Understand the basic tenets of idealism.
  • •Identify the various strands of idealism.
  • •Understand the historical development of idealism.
Week
3

Module 2: Systems of Metaphysics

4h

Unit 3: Nominalism

2 study hours
  • •Understand the basic ideas at the center of nominalism.
  • •Appreciate the historical development of nominalism.
  • •Identify the various forms of nominalism.

Unit 4: Universalism

2 study hours
  • •Grasp the main current of universalism.
  • •Appreciate the historical development of universalism.
  • •Understand the trends characteristic of systems in metaphysics.
Week
4

Module 3: Concepts of Nature, Reality and Thought.

4h

Unit 1: The Concepts of Nature, Reality and Thought

4 study hours
  • •Highlight what various scholars think of nature, reality, and the possibility of thought.
  • •Gain an overview of philosophical forebears' thinking on these themes.
  • •Rethink these ideas, paying attention to the history of these discourses.
Week
5

Module 4: The Problem of Being

4h

Unit 1: On Being and Non-Being: Nature, Characteristics and History

4 study hours
  • •Understand the centrality of being in metaphysics.
  • •Understand what being and non-being are.
  • •Show the historical character of the discourse on being.
Week
6

Module 5: The Concept of God and Human Nature (Human Person and Self-Identity)

4h

Unit 1: The God Question in Metaphysics

4 study hours
  • •Understand the ubiquitous nature of the God question in metaphysics.
  • •Appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments for and against God's existence.
  • •Reflect on the theoretical and practical implications of these discourses.
Week
7

Module 5: The Concept of God and Human Nature (Human Person and Self-Identity)

4h

Unit 2: A Short Note on what Human Nature is

4 study hours
  • •Understand what human nature is.
  • •Appreciate the development of the concept in the history of metaphysics.
  • •Outline defining features of human nature.
Week
8

Module 5: The Concept of God and Human Nature (Human Person and Self-Identity)

4h

Unit 2: On the Problem of Mind and Body

4 study hours
  • •Understand the main thrust of the problem of mind and body.
  • •Gain an overview of the historical perspective to efforts in resolving it.
  • •Reflect on the various theories in an effort to resolve the problem.
Week
9

Module 6: Notion of Substance (Monism vs Pluarism)

4h

Unit 1: Substance: Problems and its Characterisations

4 study hours
  • •Underpin what the notion of substance connotes.
  • •Know the history of the debates surrounding the notion of substance.
  • •Ascertain the various dimensions of what the notion means in metaphysics.
Week
10

Module 7: Freedom and Determinism

4h

Unit 1: Freedom and Free Will

4 study hours
  • •Understand the meaning of freedom.
  • •Underscore the metaphysical basis of the notion of freedom.
  • •Explicate why the notion of freedom is problematic.
Week
11

Module 7: Freedom and Determinism

4h

Unit 2: Determinism

4 study hours
  • •Underpin determinism.
  • •Understand the historical evolution of determinism.
  • •Distinguish the various types of determinism and their proponents.
Week
12

Module 8: Participation

4h

Unit 1: On Participation: Meaning/Definition and Nature

4 study hours
  • •Understand what the term participation connotes/means.
  • •Appreciate the idea of participation in philosophy.
  • •Note the philosophical problems the characterization provokes.
Week
13

Module 9: Essence and Existence

4h

Unit 1: On Essence and Existence

4 study hours
  • •Understand what is essence.
  • •Understand what is existence.
  • •Appreciate the historical contributions of various thinkers to these two terms.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create concept maps linking metaphysical systems (realism, idealism, nominalism) to their core tenets.

2

Outline the key arguments for and against the existence of God, noting their philosophical origins.

3

Compare and contrast different theories of time and space, focusing on their implications for understanding reality.

4

Practice writing concise summaries of complex metaphysical concepts like essence, existence, and participation.

5

Review the historical development of metaphysical thought, identifying major philosophers and their contributions.

6

Focus on understanding the relationships between different metaphysical concepts and theories, rather than memorizing isolated facts.

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