Is personal identity psychological or physical? Determinism and freedom: are they incompatible? Do abstract entities - universals, propositions, and numbers - really exist? Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics addresses these and many more of the most contentious issues in the field today.

An introductory essay on the nature of metaphysics prepares the reader for the text's distinctive format - a series of head-to-head debates by eighteen leading professionals in metaphysics. Squaring off on opposite sides of the issues, they debate nine of the deepest and most puzzling topics in contemporary metaphysics.

Contemporary Debates in Metaphysics is an excellent resource for advanced students and professional philosophers alike.

In a series of thought-provoking and original essays, eighteen leading philosophers engage in head-to-head debates of nine of the most cutting edge topics in contemporary metaphysics.

• Explores the fundamental questions in contemporary metaphysics in a series of eighteen original essays - 16 of which are newly commissioned for this volume
• Features an introductory essay by the editors on the nature of metaphysics to prepare the reader for ongoing discussions
• Offers readers the unique opportunity to observe leading philosophers engage in head-to-head debate on cutting-edge metaphysical topics
• Provides valuable insights into the flourishing field of contemporary metaphysics