Robert C. Koons and Timothy H. Pickavance have mastered the art of succinct and nontechnical digression. They are to be commended for their clear summaries. And, most important, they write in a way that invites readers to make up their own minds without attempting to conceal their own conclusions, As a result they have written a refreshingly different introduction to metaphysics, which I highly recommend. Peter Forrest, University of New England While notoriously difficult to define, metaphysics need not be a daunting subject of study. Metaphysics: The Fundamentals provides readers with an accessible and comprehensive introduction to modern analytic metaphysics, The book covers a broad range of key topics, including theories of properties and particulars, the notion of truthmakers, powers and possibilities, material composition, and a variety of issues related to time and causation. Thematically and systematically organized, each chapter features carefully worked-through questions about these topics, and all the important assumptions, axioms, and methodological principles are clearly identified, Readers with minimal technical knowledge of the field are introduced to the seminal philosophical works of such leading contemporary figures as David Lewis, Alvin Plantinga, Kit Fine, Peter van Inwagen, and John Hawthorne, along with the contributions of noted historical figures like Rene Descartes, Gottfried Leibniz, and Bertrand Russell. Modern perspectives of Neo-Humeans, Platonists, and Neo-Aristotelians are also covered - with the best arguments and objections of these schools of thought clearly stated. Specifically written for students encountering the subject for the first time, Metaphysics: The Fundamentals takes the mystery out of one of the most dynamic sub-fields in contemporary philosophy
