Powers: A Study in Metaphysics Revised Edition

by George Molnar (Author),‎ Stephen Mumford (Editor),‎ D. M. Armstrong (Foreword)

3 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0199204175

ISBN-10: 0199204179

Why is ISBN important?

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share

Condition: Used - Good

In Stock. Sold by anybookltduk

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

This item ships to France. Want it Friday, Dec. 15? Order within and choose AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping at checkout. Learn more

25 New from $45.94

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Ship to:

More Buying Choices

25 New from $45.94 10 Used from $38.58

35 used & new from $38.58

See All Buying Options

Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

George Molnar came to see that the solution to a number of the problems of contemporary philosophy lay in the development of an alternative to Hume's metaphysics. This alternative would have real causal powers at its centre. Molnar set about developing a thorough account of powers that might persuade those who remained, perhaps unknowingly, in the grip of Humean assumptions. He succeeded in producing something both highly focused and at the same time wide-ranging. He showed both that the notion of a power was central and that it could serve to dispel a number of long-standing philosophical problems.

Molnar's account of powers is as realist as any that has so far appeared. He shows that dispositions are as real as any other properties. Specifically, they do not depend for their existence on their manifestations. Nevertheless, they are directed towards such manifestations. Molnar thus appropriates the notion of intentionality, from Brentano, and argues that it is the essential characteristic of powers. He offers a persuasive case for there being some basic and ungrounded powers, thus ruling out the reducibility of the dispositional to the non-dispositional. However, he does allow that there are non-power properties as well as power properties. In this respect, his final position is dualistic.

This is contemporary metaphysics of the highest quality. It is a work that was almost complete when its author died. It has been edited for publication by another specialist in the subject, Stephen Mumford, who has also provided an introduction that will allow non-specialists to become acquainted with the issues. David Armstrong, one of the greatest living metaphysicians and personal friend of George Molnar, has provided a Foreword.

Powers: A Study in Metaphysics

$45.95 In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Stephen Mumford

2

Paperback
$32.17
René Descartes

7

Paperback
$50.02
Kathrin Koslicki

2

Paperback
$42.95
Stephen Mumford
Paperback
$53.00
Stephen Mumford
Paperback
13 offers from $23.89
Theodore Sider

7

Paperback
$36.25

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Getting Causes from Powers Paperback

Stephen Mumford

2

$32.17

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Feedback

Macenzie Guiver

The interconnected nature of the global economy means any economic catastrophe does and will send ripples around the world. Is your family prepared..

40

Kindle Edition

$2.99
Feedback

edward glinka

Is there a longer and deeper agenda behind the war on President Trump?

16

Kindle Edition

$6.99
Feedback

Greg Oliver

This book is for people who think differently and do so for life. It is a strangely powerful book. Reading it will help you to unlock your destiny.

1

Kindle Edition

$4.95
Feedback

ColoringCraze

79

Paperback

$12.32
Feedback

Mike Bhangu

From time to time, the "haves" tamper with information. This is done to control thoughts and actions. Have a read and discover the tactics.

9

Kindle Edition

$5.49
Feedback

Michal Stawicki

Find your own path to a meaningful life. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl

15

Kindle Edition

$2.99
Feedback

ColoringCraze

44

Paperback

$11.98

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Powers is a rich book. In the course of characterizing and arguing for a posteriori dualism, Molnar contributes views on most of the important questions about dispositions."--Mind

About the Author

George Molnar is formerly in the Department of Philosophy, University of Sydney. Stephen Mumford is in the Department of Philosophy, University of Nottingham. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product details

Paperback: 252 pages
Publisher: Clarendon Press; Revised edition (May 3, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0199204179
ISBN-13: 978-0199204175
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.4 x 5.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 3 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,897,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1353 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Philosophy > Metaphysics
- #5016 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Metaphysics

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars

4 star (0%)

3 star (0%)

2 star (0%)

1 star (0%)

Write a customer review

See all 3 customer reviews

Rated by customers interested in

What's this?

Philosophy

5.0 out of 5 stars

Metaphysics

5.0 out of 5 stars

Philosophy Books

5.0 out of 5 stars

Is this feature helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

George Molnar and the Powers that Be

April 25, 2008

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book presents a realist theory of causal metaphysics founded on a detailed ontological treatment of dispositional properties, or powers.

The book is a posthumous publication, Molnar having died in 1999. Some interesting biographical information is provided in the introduction by Stephen Mumford, as well as in a preface by D. M. Armstrong. Mumford also prepared the manuscript.

Molnar's theory is a realist account of dispositional properties as causal powers. This realism about dispositional properties and causality is in contrast to work in the Humean tradition which would eliminate dispositional properties and reduce apparent causal power to mere correlation. A traditional strategy is to employ a conditional analysis. Rather than ascribe the dispositional property of solubility to X, one simply notes that if X is placed in water, then it will dissolve. Another way to approach eliminating powers is to claim they can be reduced to categorical micro-physical properties (although many would view charge, mass, spin et. al as paradigm dispositional properties). Molnar defends dispositional properties as real and ineliminable causal powers of objects. He sees these as ubiquitous features of our world.

It is an impressive and interesting effort. In my opinion we need a theory of "real" causation, and this is a well-argued candidate theory. In the end, I disagree with the theory, but my thinking on the topic of causation was greatly enlightened and sharpened by Molnar's work.

0Comment 6 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

January 24, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Important book, while I have arguements with Molnar the clarity and depth and sheer honesty of his writing is a delight

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?

William Melendez

A Giant of a Study

March 15, 2008

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book is amazing considering Molnar died before finishing it. At first I was wary of the fact that Mumford had edited it for publication since Mumford's own book on Dispositions is a different take on the subject and Molnar is critical of Mumford's position on dispositions. But, reading through the book I felt that Mumford had not rewritten it for himself. This is all Molnar. As to be expected, it was Molnar's controversial claim that dispositions are intentional that intrigued me the most. I was a little disappointed with his explication on this view that he calls physical intentionality (PI). He explains what PI is and defends it against objections, but he never gives a exhaustive treatment on what PI means for dispositions and how exactly it works and what the implications it entails. This was quite an oversight in my opinion, especially since his account of PI is more developed then the ones given by U.T. Place and C.B. Martin, oh, and John Heil. Also, since he never completed the book, the last chapter is extremely dense and undeveloped and approximates what read to be drafted notes on causation and modality. Despite these two negative features, the book is a veritable gold-mine on the subject of dispositions (or what he refers to as Powers) and a unique argument of his own dispositional metaphysics that must be accounted for in any further studies on dispositions.

0Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Powers: A Study in Metaphysics

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Powers: A Study in Metaphysics

Set up a giveaway

English United States

Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Interest-Based Ads
© 1996-2017, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates