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Course Description
When the word "metaphysics" is mentioned, a wide variety of possible meanings springs to mind. For some, it is often considered part of the science of physics; to others, it might mean something mystical; to others still, it might represent a branch of philosophy or merely an incomprehensible mass of theoretical musings that could only be understood by professors with patches on their elbows living in an ivory tower somewhere. While all of these notions may have some merit to them, they only touch upon the true scope and purpose of the field of metaphysics.
Since the beginning of philosophy--indeed, perhaps since the beginning of man's quest to learn about himself and the universe that surrounds him--there has been the discipline of metaphysics. While it may not have always been called such, it is nevertheless an important aspect of being human that everyone has dabbled with to one degree or another. Metaphysics, while sounding very complex or obtuse, is really nothing more than thinking about what exists and what the ultimate reality of the universe is (Geirsson & Losonsky, 1998).
Questions within the field of metaphysics involve many of the "big" issues in life: Is there an absolute right and wrong? Does God (or a creator) exist? What is the universe made of? Does free will exist or are we traveling on a predetermined path? All of these concepts and more, as well as their implications for human thought and life, are part and parcel of the philosophical discipline of metaphysics. While most people may not think in terms of "doing metaphysical thought"--at least not in the strict philosophical sense--the fact remains that all thinking human beings have some sort of metaphysics that guide their lives everyday--a "worldview" in essence.
This course will look at what metaphysics is; what the key concepts and terms within the topic are; the practical ramifications of metaphysics; and very briefly discuss the history, development, and major schools of thought from the ancient Greeks to modern times. Modern "New Age" metaphysics will also be discussed. By the conclusion of the course, it is hoped that the student will have a better understanding of metaphysics and perhaps a increased desire to study further.
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Learning Outcomes
By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
Define metaphysics.
Summarize classical metaphysics.
Describe cosmology and cosmogony.
Summarize determinism and free will.
Describe the philosophical notions of mind and matter, objects and their properties, religion and spirituality, and space and time.
Describe philosophical notions of identity and change.
Describe the religious, philosophical, and science perspective of God, and
Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Course Lessons
Lesson 1: What Is Metaphysics?
This lesson provides a definition of metaphysics, the different types of metaphysics that exist, and a rationale for why the field is not as esoteric as many people think.
Lesson 2: Coming to Terms: A Philosophical Glossary
This lesson presents many of the more important words, phrases, and concepts that will be important to learn before proceeding to the following lessons of the course.
Lesson 3: Classical Metaphysics: The Greeks
No formal records of when metaphysics "began" exist, but the discipline is attributed to ancient Greece, when the first formal mentions of it were first recorded in writing.
Lesson 4: Cosmology & Cosmogony
This lesson examines many of the major cosmologies in turn, noting their core tenets and philosophical implications.
Lesson 5: Determinism & Free Will
This lesson examines some of the more prevalent metaphysical ideas and issues involving the concepts of free will and determinism.
Lesson 6: Mind & Matter
This lesson will present the more prevalent formulations of the mind and matter issue in metaphysics, beginning with the Greeks and culminating with a survey of modern dualism.
Lesson 7: Objects & Their Properties
This lesson will examine the age-old "problem of universals" and the various attempts to solve it over the millennia.
Lesson 8: Religion & Spirituality
This lesson will examine the major religious philosophies in the light of philosophical inquiry.
Lesson 9: Space & Time
This lesson presents several of the more influential and interesting historical views related to the philosophy of time and space.
Lesson 10: New Age Metaphysics
This lesson will examine the issue of New Age Metaphysics and it's effect on modern life.
Lesson 11: Does God Exist?
Like with many of the other issues presented in previous lessons, metaphysics has been used for years on both sides of this argument to either prove or disprove the existence of God.In this lesson, some of the more prominent arguments for and against God
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