Many of these mini-essays were originally written as handouts for A level philosophy students, and thus followed a prescribed syllabus. For discussions of metaphysics in ethics, see Ethics; and discussions of metaphysics concerning God, see Philosophy of religion.
Within each grouping, the essays are listed in logical order, and later essays may well presuppose knowledge of earlier ones.
Realism
- Empiricism and metaphysics
- Metaphysics and epistemology
- Universals
- Phenomenalism
- The new scientific realism
- McDowell on realism about secondary qualities and values
What is a person?
- Characteristics associated with personhood
- Personal identity: a summary
- Continuity theories of personal identity
- Is personal identity ‘simple’?
- Personal identity v. survival
- The implications of cloning and brain damage for personal identity
- Are all human beings persons?
- Are any non-human being, e.g. animals or machines, persons?
- Aristotle and Descartes on the notion of a person
- Hume and personal identity
Michael Lacewing 