Some of philosophy’s biggest questions, both historically and today, are in-virtue-of questions: In virtue of what is an action right or wrong? In virtue of what am I the same person my mother bore? In virtue of what is an artwork beautiful? Philosophers attempt to answer many of these types of in-virtue-of questions, but philosophers are also increasingly focusing on what an in-virtue-of question is in the first place. Many assume, at least as a working hypothesis, that in-virtue-of questions involve a distinctively metaphysical kind of determinative explanation called “ground.” This Handbook surveys the state of the art on ground as well as its connections and applications to other topics. The central issues of ground are discussed in 37 chapters, all written exclusively for this volume by a wide range of leading experts. The chapters are organized into the following sections:
I. History
II. Explanation and Determination
III. Logic and Structure
IV. Connections
V. Applications
Introductions at the start of each section provide an overview of the section’s contents, and a list of Related Topics at the end of each chapter points readers to other germane areas throughout the volume. The resulting volume is accessible enough for advanced students and informative enough for researchers. It is essential reading for anyone hoping to get clearer on what the biggest questions of philosophy are really asking.
Introduction Michael J. Raven
Part I: History
1. Ancient Phil Corkum
2. Aristotelian Demonstration Marko Malink
3. Medieval and Modern Margaret Cameron
4. Principle of Sufficient Reason Fatema Amijee
5. Bolzano Stefan Roski
6. Austro-German Phenomenologists Kevin Mulligan
Part II: Explanation and Determination
7. Dependence Benjamin Schnieder
8. Explanation Martin Glazier
9. Meta-ground Jon Erling Litland
10. Necessity Alexander Skiles
11. Skeptical Doubts Kathrin Koslicki
12. Anti-skeptical Rejoinders Louis deRosset
13. Varieties Kevin Richardson
Part III: Logic and Structure
14. Logics Francesca Poggiolesi
15. Granularity Fabrice Correia
16. Infinite Descent T. Scott Dixon
17. Strict Partial Order Naomi Thompson
18. Puzzles Stephan Krämer
Part IV: Connections
19. Analyticity Tom Donaldson
20. Cause Jennifer Wang
21. Emergence Stephan Leuenberger
22. Essence Justin Zylstra
23. Fundamentality Ricki Bliss
24. Modality David Mark Kovacs
25. Ontology Noël B. Saenz
26. Realism Olla Solomyak
27. Structure Tuomas E. Tahko
28. Truthmaking Kelly Trogdon
Part V: Applications
29. Identity Erica Shumener
30. Laws of Metaphysics Tobias Wilsch
31. Laws of Nature Nina Emery
32. Logic Michaela M. McSweeney
33. Mind Alyssa Ney
34. Normativity Stephanie Leary
35. Physicalism Amanda Bryant
36. Semantics Kit Fine
37. Social Entities Asya Passinsky
The Essential Glossary of Ground
Biography
Michael J. Raven is Associate Professor of philosophy at the University of Victoria and Affiliate Associate Professor of philosophy at the University of Washington, Co-Chief Editor of Metaphysics , and a founding member of the Canadian Metaphysics Collaborative. His research focuses on metaphysics, philosophy of language and mind, and epistemology.
"Grounding is one of the central topics in contemporary metaphysics. This collection represents the cutting edge of work in this fast-developing area, and is a must have both for veterans of debates about grounding and philosophers wanting to explore how thinking about grounding interacts with their favourite philosophical problems."
--Daniel Nolan, University of Notre Dame
