Philosophy: Metaphysics

What is the primary focus of ontology within metaphysics?

Ontology is the study of being, existence, and the categories of things that exist in the world.

What is the core difference between substance dualism and physicalism?

Substance dualism posits that mind and body are distinct substances, while physicalism asserts that everything is physical or dependent on physical properties.

Define hard determinism in the context of free will.

Hard determinism is the view that all events, including human actions, are determined by prior causes, rendering free will an illusion.

What is the central claim of presentism regarding the philosophy of time?

Presentism is the view that only the present moment exists, while the past and future have no ontological reality.

Which philosopher is most famous for the 'Memory Theory' of personal identity?

John Locke, who argued that consciousness and memory constitute the self over time.

What does the 'Problem of Other Minds' address?

The epistemological challenge of proving that other people possess conscious experiences similar to one's own.

Contrast realism and nominalism regarding the existence of universals.

Realism holds that universals (like 'redness') exist independently of particulars, while nominalism argues that only particulars exist and universals are merely names or labels.

Explain Derek Parfit's view on personal identity and 'Relation R'.

Parfit argues that identity is not what matters; instead, psychological connectedness and continuity (Relation R) are what define survival.

What is David Hume's 'Regularity Theory' of causation?

The theory that causation is nothing more than the constant conjunction of two types of events, rather than a necessary connection.

What is the defining characteristic of compatibilism?

Compatibilism is the belief that free will and determinism are not mutually exclusive and can both be true simultaneously.