The Possibility of Metaphysics : Substance, Identity, and Time

## Abstract Begins with a defence of realist metaphysics against its many enemies. Metaphysics, it is argued, is an autonomous and indispensable intellectual discipline whose distinctive task is to chart the domain of real possibilities—a task which requires us to identify both the basic ontological categories into which all possible beings are divisible and the characteristic relations of ontological dependency in which beings of various ontological categories necessarily stand to one another. Central parts of this task are carried out in the rest of the book, which focuses especially on the key notions of substance, identity, and time. The unity of the concrete world as one world existing in time ultimately depends, it is argued, upon the existence of fundamental substances, which persist primitively through processes of qualitative change. And even abstract necessary beings, such as the objects of mathematics, ultimately depend for their existence, it is claimed, upon there being a concrete spatiotemporal world of enduring substances. Jonathan Lowe argues that metaphysics should be restored to a central position in philosophy, as the most fundamental form of rational inquiry, whose findings underpin those of all other disciplines. He portrays metaphysics as charting the possibilities of existence, by idetifying the categories of being and the relations of ontological dependency between entities of different categories. He proceeds to set out a unified and original metaphysical system: he defends a substance ontology, according to which the existence of the world s one world in time depends upon the existence of persisting things which retain their identity over time and through processes of qualitative change. And he contends that even necessary beings, such as the abstract objects of mathematics, depend ultimately for their existence upon there being a concrete world of enduring substances. Within his system of metaphysics Lowe seeks to answer many of the deepest and most challenging questions in philosophy. Jonathan Lowe argues that metaphysics should be restored to a central position in philosophy, as the most fundamental form of rational inquiry, whose findings underpin those of all other disciplines. He portrays metaphysics as charting the possibilities of existence, by identifying the categories of being and the relations of ontological dependency between entities of different categories. He proceeds to set out a unified and original metaphysical system: he defends a substanceontology, according to which the existence of the world as one world in time depends upon the existence of persisting

lowe Argues In This Fascinating New Study That Metaphysics Should Be Restored To Centrality In Philosophy, As The Most Fundamental Form Of Inquiry, Whose Findings Underpin Those Of All Other Disciplines. He Portrays Metaphysics As Charting The Possibilities Of Existence, By Identifying The Categories Of Being And The Relations Between Them. He Then Sets Out His Own Metaphysical System, With Which He Seeks To Answer Many Of The Most Vexed Questions In Philosophy.

In the Preface, I explained that the overall objective of this book is to help to restore metaphysics to a central position in philosophy as the most fundamental form of rational inquiry, with its own distinctive methods and criteria of validation. Lowe argues that metaphysics should occupy a central position in philosophy as a fundamental form of rational inquiry that underpins all other disciplines. Lowe seeks to answer many of the deepest and most challenging questions in philosophy