Knowing Reality: A Guided Introduction to Metaphysics and Epistemology

Table of Contents:
Additional Resources Preface Chapter 1: Philosophy and Sophistry 1.1 Ancient Greek Mythology 1.2 Ancient Greek Philosophy 1.3 Sophism 1.4 The Upside of Philosophy 1.5 How to Win an Argument Summary Additional Resources Chapter 2: Truth and Relativism 2.1 Correspondence Theory 2.2 Coherence Theory 2.3 Pragmatic Theory 2.4 Relativism Summary Additional Resources Chapter 3: Substances: Change and Sameness 3.1 Milesian Materialism 3.2 Eleatic Idealism 3.3 Substratum Theory 3.4 Bundle Theory 3.5 Perdurantism Summary Additional Resources Chapter 4: Personal Identity 4.1 Soul Theory 4.2 Bundle Theory 4.3 Psychological Theory 4.4 Brute Physical Theory 4.5 The Relational Self Summary Additional Resources Chapter 5: Mind and Brain 5.1 Dualism 5.2 Mind-Brain Identity Theory 5.3 Functionalism 5.4 Eliminative Materialism 5.5 Idealism Summary Additional Resources Chapter 6: Free Will and Determinism 6.1 Hard Determinism 6.2 Libertarianism 6.3 Compatibilism Summary Additional Resources Chapter 7: Knowledge 7.1 Propositional Knowledge 7.2 Descartes’ Rationalism 7.3 Hume’s Empiricism 7.4 Naturalized Epistemology 7.5 Social Epistemology Summary Additional Resources Chapter 8: Perception 8.1 Direct Realism 8.2 Skepticism 8.3 Representational Model 8.4 Idealism 8.5 Intentionalism Summary Additional Resources Chapter 9: Self-Knowledge 9.1 Inner Sense Model 9.2 Behaviourism 9.3 Acquaintance Model 9.4 Externalist Models 9.5 Self-Deception 9.6 Rationality and Irrationality Summary Additional Resources Chapter 10: Philosophy of Science 10.1 Aristotle 10.2 Francis Bacon 10.3 David Hume 10.4 Immanuel Kant 10.5 Logical Positivism 10.6 W.V.O. Quine 10.7 Helen Longino Summary Additional Resources Chapter 11: God and Naturalism 11.1 The Cosmological Argument for Theism 11.2 The Naturalistic Argument for Naturalism 11.3 The Teleological Argument for Theism 11.4 The Problem of Evil Summary Additional Resources Chapter 12: Religious Experience, Faith, and Reason 12.1 Varieties of Religious Experience 12.2 Religious Experience as Delusions 12.3 The Principle of Credulity and the Principle of Testimony 12.4 Naturalistic Accounts 12.5 Reason and Faith 12.6 Fideism 12.7 Evidentialism 12.8 The Belief Model Summary Additional Resources Appendix: How to Write a Philosophy Essay Bibliography Permissions Acknowledgements Image Credits Index List of Included Readings

About the Author :
Dwayne Moore is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Saskatchewan.

Review :
“Dwayne Moore’s book is a real advance on the usual introductions to metaphysics and epistemology, which are often too difficult (as with dense anthologies) or too superficial (as with single-author ‘here’s what I think’ glosses). Moore structures and explains each topic, making clear the main debates and what’s at stake in different positions held by historical and contemporary philosophers, excerpting from original texts and drawing illuminating connections to current culture along the way. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a lively and informed introduction to the eye-opening world of ‘M&E.’” — Jessica Wilson, University of Toronto “Knowing Reality is a wonderful textbook for use in an introduction to metaphysics and epistemology course. It is a complete resource, in that it includes excerpts from primary sources, targeted commentaries on those excerpts, and general discussions of philosophical issues written in snappy, engaging, and clear prose. Each chapter opens with a thought experiment, often taken from popular culture, and closes with a list of references to television and film in which ideas from the chapter find expression. The book also provides a lovely introduction to the difference between philosophy and sophistry and an appendix on how to write a philosophy paper.” — Jeremy Fantl, University of Calgary “In Knowing Reality, Moore invites students to make connections between their lives and the major issues in metaphysics and epistemology. I especially appreciate that he illustrates philosophical problems with texts from popular culture (film and television in particular), and he treats these texts with as much respect as he does primary sources. In this way, Moore breaks down divisions between professional discourse and the experiences of students, who can use philosophy to enrich their daily lives.” — Doug Eskew, Colorado State University, Pueblo