Metaphysics and the Good: Themes from the Philosophy of Robert Merrihew Adams

427 Pages·2009·1.44 MB·English

by  Samuel Newlands

Metaphysics and the Good
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Metaphysics and the
Good
Themes from the Philosophy
of Robert Merrihew Adams
E
Samuel Newlands and Larry M. Jorgensen
1
1
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For Bob
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, we would like to thank Robert Merrihew Adams.
It borders on the trivial to suggest that this volume wouldn’t have been
possible without him. But, throughout his career, Bob has embodied an
ethic of excellence, both in his philosophical work as well as in his kind
and generous nature as a mentor to his students, and this has inspired us
to put this volume together. The readiness with which our contributors
participated in the project, the immediate and consistent encouragement
of Oxford University Press, and the touching personal remarks made by
everyone involved in the initial conference in honor of Bob all attest to
his importance both to our profession and to his colleagues and students.
We stand in a long line of those who have benefited personally and
professionally from being Bob’s students, and we intend this volume as a
small representation of our gratitude to him.
We would like to extend a special note of gratitude to Michael Della
Rocca, who has tirelessly helped and encouraged us with this project
from the very beginning. We would also like to thank the following
individuals for providing feedback and invaluable assistance along the way:
Shelly Kagan, Michael Nelson, Sun-Joo Shin, and the participants and
audiencemembersinthe2005conference‘Metaphysics,History,Ethics:A
ConferenceinHonorofRobertMerrihewAdams’.Wewouldalsoliketo
thankthecontributorstothisvolumefortheirdiligenceandpatienceduring
the publication process. Peter Momtchiloff also deserves our gratitude for
hisgeneralencouragementandassistance,aswellashishelpindecidingon
a title for the volume. This project was made possible in part by support
from the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, College of Arts and
Letters, University of Notre Dame.
Lastly, we would like to thank our families for their steadfast love,
support, patience, and encouragement.
List of Contributors
Robert Merrihew Adams is a senior member of the Faculty of Philosophy at
OxfordUniversity.
PaulHoffmanisProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofCalifornia,Riverside.
Larry M. JorgensenisAssistantProfessorofPhilosophyatValparaisoUniversity.
Shelly KaganisClarkProfessorofPhilosophyatYaleUniversity.
Michael NelsonisAssistant ProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofCalifor-
nia,Riverside.
Samuel NewlandsisAssistantProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofNotre
Dame.
Derk PereboomisProfessorofPhilosophyatCornellUniversity.
Marleen Rozemond is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of
Toronto.
R. C. Sleigh, Jr. is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of
Massachusetts,Amherst.
Houston SmitisAssociateProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofArizona.
Jeffrey StoutisProfessorofReligionatPrincetonUniversity.
Susan Wolf isEdnaJ.KouryProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofNorth
Carolina,ChapelHill.
Allen W. Wood is Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor of Philosophy at
StanfordUniversity.
Dean ZimmermanisProfessorofPhilosophyatRutgersUniversity.
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Contents
Introduction 1
Samuel Newlandsand Larry M. Jorgensen
1. A Philosophical Autobiography 16
Robert Merrihew Adams
2. Yet Another Anti-Molinist Argument 33
Dean Zimmerman
3. The Contingency of Existence 95
Michael Nelson
4. Consciousness and Introspective Inaccuracy 156
Derk Pereboom
5. Kant on Apriority and the Spontaneity of Cognition 188
Houston Smit
6. Moral Necessity in Leibniz’s Account of Human Freedom 252
R. C. Sleigh,Jr.
7. Leibniz on Final Causation 272
Marleen Rozemond
8. Does Efficient Causation Presuppose Final Causation?
Aquinas vs. Early Modern Mechanism 295
Paul Hoffman
9. Herder and Kant on History: Their Enlightenment Faith 313
Allen Wood
10. Moral Obligations and Social Commands 343
Susan Wolf
11. Adams on the Nature of Obligation 368
Jeffrey Stout
12. TheGrasshopper, Aristotle, Bob Adams, and Me 388
Shelly Kagan
Bibliography of Robert Merrihew Adams 405
Index 413