Program Overview

Metaphysics (PHIL*3160)

Course Details

The course code for Metaphysics is PHIL*3160, and it is offered in Section 01 during the Winter 2021 term. The course instructor is Andrew Wayne.

Course Description

This course examines the development of our metaphysical and scientific understanding of space, time, and motion from the ancient Greeks to the present day. It begins with Plato and Euclid, then focuses on the classical debate about the reality of space in the work of Newton, Leibniz, Berkeley, and Mach. Finally, it studies the impact of the conventionalist and relativistic theories of Poincarť and Einstein. Space and time are of interest not only as one of the central topics in metaphysics but also as an exemplar of how research in metaphysics is done.

Course Format

The course will be conducted remotely and meet synchronously during scheduled class time.

Departments and Schools

• School of Theatre, English, and Creative Writing
  • No specific details provided
• School of Fine Art and Music
  • No specific details provided
• School of Languages and Literatures
  • No specific details provided
• Department of History
  • No specific details provided
• Department of Philosophy
  • Offers the Metaphysics (PHIL*3160) course
• Interdisciplinary Programs
  • No specific details provided

Centres, Institutes and Labs

• Centre for Scottish Studies
• Grounded and Engaged Theory Lab (GET)
• Interdisciplinary Design Lab
• The International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation
• The Humanities Interdisciplinary Collaboration Lab (THINC)
• The School of Fine Art & Music Print Study Collection
  • No specific details provided for any of these entities in relation to the Metaphysics course.