Riddles of Existence: A Guided Tour of Metaphysics

Conee, Earl,Sider, Theodore

ISBN 10: 0199282269 / ISBN 13: 9780199282265

Published by Oxford University Press, 2005

About this Item

Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!

Seller Inventory # S_431051340

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Riddles of Existence: A Guided Tour of Metaphysics
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0199282269
• ISBN 13: 9780199282265
• Binding: hardcover
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

The riddles of metaphysics are the deepest and most puzzling questions we can ponder. What are the basic ingredients of reality? What is their ultimate nature? Could reality have been different? And where do human beings fit into reality? Indeed, why does reality contain anything at all?
Riddles of Existence is the first book ever to make metaphysics genuinely accessible and fun. Its lively, informal style brings these questions to life and shows how stimulating it can be to think about them. Earl Conee and Theodore Sider offer a lucid discussion of the major topics in metaphysics. What makes me the same person I was as a child? Is everything fated to be exactly as it is? Does time flow? How fast does it flow, and can one travel back in time, against the current? Does God exist? Why is there anything at all rather than nothing? If our actions are caused by things science can predict and control, how can we have free will? The authors approach these topics in an open-minded and undogmatic manner, giving readers a full sense of the issues involved. They don't try to convince us of their point of view. Instead, they hope that, by reading this book, we will come to appreciate the importance of such problems and develop reasoned opinions of your own.
Riddles of Existence shows that philosophy can be exciting and important, and understandable by anyone. No philosophical background is required to enjoy this book: anyone who has thought about life's most profound questions will find plenty to provoke and entertain them here.

About the Author

Earl Conee teaches philosophy at the University of Rochester. Theodore Sider teaches philosophy at Rutgers University.