Systematic Metaphysics

Abstract Some have claimed that philosophy can only be pursued systematically—you answer either all the questions, or none. Some have rejected this, claiming that philosophy should try to make progress on isolated, individual questions, and let the whole take care of itself. The essays in this volume address the issue of systematicity—what it is, whether we need to pursue it—with a focus on systematic metaphysics. Historical essays discuss key moments in the history of the idea of systematicity (from ancient to early analytic philosophy). Thematic essays take up the question of whether metaphysics should be systematic. The essays in this volume will spark new interest and debate in an age-old issue: must metaphysics be systematic? Can it be?