The curriculum is a complete education in Metaphysics using online materials. It is designed to provide a well-rounded foundation equivalent to a 4-year undergraduate program in Philosophy with a specialization in Metaphysics, focusing on questions of existence, reality, being, causality, time, mind, and related topics (minus unrelated general-education requirements).
The program emphasizes critical thinking, logical argumentation, textual analysis, and philosophical writing, drawing from historical and contemporary perspectives. It prioritizes free MOOCs where available, supplemented by high-quality textbooks when necessary (authoritative paid options first, followed by free/open alternatives like the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) entries).
Learners will develop competencies in analyzing metaphysical arguments, constructing coherent positions on ontological issues, evaluating epistemological foundations of metaphysical claims, and applying metaphysical concepts to real-world problems like personal identity or free will.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings or extras/other_curricula.
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Forums:
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Subreddits:
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Discord servers:
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Other:
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You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
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Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
- I. Orientation and Philosophical Tools
- II. Core Metaphysical Domains
- III. Historical Foundations of Metaphysics
- IV. Formal and Methodological Metaphysics
- V. Optional Specialization Areas
Study them in this exact order:
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I. Orientation and Philosophical Tools
Start here. These units give you the basic concepts, reading skills, and reasoning tools you need before anything else. -
II. Core Metaphysical Domains
This is the heart of the subject. Work through units 4–7 in order. They cover the main areas that almost every serious student of metaphysics must understand. -
III. Historical Foundations of Metaphysics
After the core domains, go back in time. Units 8 and 9 provide crucial historical context that helps you understand why contemporary debates are shaped the way they are.
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IV. Formal and Methodological Metaphysics
Choose this track if you want to get comfortable with more technical and precise ways of doing metaphysics (especially useful if you are interested in contemporary analytic philosophy or plan to read recent journal articles). -
V. Optional Specialization Areas
These are focused topic clusters. Pick one (or more) according to your personal interest:- Unit 12 — Death, Identity, and Value: Choose if questions about personal survival, the meaning of life, or what happens after death strongly appeal to you.
- Unit 13 — Metaphysics and Science: Choose if you are drawn to the intersection between philosophy and modern physics, biology, or general scientific theories.
You do not need to study both tracks in section V, and you do not need to study section IV at all unless you want a more formal/technical direction.
| Subject | Why study? | Book/Text | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to Philosophy | Conceptual orientation; argument analysis; reading philosophy. | An Introduction to Philosophy (Open Textbook, Univ. of Minnesota) | MIT OCW – Introduction to Philosophy (24.00) |
| 2. Introduction to Metaphysics | Core problems, vocabulary, and motivation. | Metaphysics: A Guided Tour for Beginners (free PDF) | Coursera – Reality Bites: Introduction to Metaphysics |
| 3. Logic for Metaphysics | Formal reasoning, validity, and structure of metaphysical arguments. | Language, Proof and Logic (free PDF) | edX – Language, Proof and Logic |
| Subject | Why study? | Book/Text | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4. Ontology (Being, Existence, Categories): Universals, particulars, substance, properties, grounding. | Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction – Michael J. Loux + (Supplement) SEP – Ontology; Grounding | MIT OCW – Metaphysics (24.221) | |
| 5. Modality and Necessity: Possible worlds, necessity, essence, counterfactuals. | SEP – Modal Logic; Possible Worlds | MIT OCW – Modal Logic (24.244) | |
| 6. Time, Change, and Causation: A-series/B-series, persistence, causal powers, laws of nature. | SEP – Time; Persistence; Causation | MIT OCW – Metaphysics (selected lectures) | |
| 7. Philosophy of Mind (as Metaphysics): Mind–body problem, consciousness, mental causation, personal identity. | (optional) SEP – Mind–Body Problem; Consciousness | Yale OYC – Philosophy and the Science of Human Nature |
| Subject | Why study? | Book/Text | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. Ancient Metaphysics | Forms, substance, causality, potentiality/actuality. | Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy (Archive.org) | Coursera – Ancient Philosophy: Plato & His Predecessors |
| 9. Early Modern Metaphysics | Substance dualism, causation, identity, empiricism vs rationalism. | Oxford – Early Modern Philosophy (Peter Millican, free podcasts) |
| Subject | Why study? | Book/Text | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. Metaphysical Explanation and Method: Grounding, explanation, realism vs anti-realism, metaphysical methodology. | SEP – Metaphysical Explanation; Grounding; Naturalism in Metaphysics | ||
| 11. Advanced Modal and Formal Tools: Modal proof systems, necessity in metaphysics, logic–ontology interface. | (optional) Modal Logic for Philosophers – James Garson | MIT OCW – Modal Logic (continued) |
| Subject | Why study? | Book/Text | Online Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. Death, Identity, and Value | Focus on: Personal identity over time, survival, immortality. | Yale OYC – Death | |
| 13. Metaphysics and Science | Focus on: Laws of nature, reduction, emergence, scientific realism. | SEP – Laws of Nature; Reductionism; Scientific Realism |
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor's degree in Metaphysics. Congratulations!