Guide in PDF format

Metaphysics

Code: 108424
Credits: 6

2026/2027

Degree programme	Type	Course
Philosophy	FB	2

Contact lecturer

Name :: Jaume Mensa Valls
Email :: jaume.mensa@uab.cat

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

: Professor a designar, profesor a designar, lecturer to be assigned.

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

None

Objectives

Metaphysics is a basic training course in the second year of the Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy. The general aim of the course is to study the problem of being and its relationship to the problems of language and truth.

The specific objectives of this course are:

a) To achieve an overall understanding of metaphysical issues and their historical development;

b) To understand the main concepts associated with metaphysics;

c) To read key texts in metaphysics;

d) To present hermeneutics as a contemporary alternative (“post-metaphysical,” if one wishes) to classical metaphysics.

Learning outcomes

CM05 (Formulate reasoned opinions in a supervised manner and based on the analysis of philosophical problems.) Formulate reasoned opinions in a supervised manner and based on the analysis of philosophical problems.
CM06 (Use the philosophical instruments necessary for ethical, political and aesthetic deliberation, with awareness of their relevance in diverse social and cultural contexts.) Use the philosophical instruments necessary for ethical, political and aesthetic deliberation, with awareness of their relevance in diverse social and cultural contexts.
CM07 (Generate individual and collective practices of openness and rational dialogue integrating active listening, respect for the plurality of opinions through the identification and discussion of inequalities and gender biases in the construction of reasoned consensus.) Generate individual and collective practices of openness and rational dialogue integrating active listening, respect for the plurality of opinions through the identification and discussion of inequalities and gender biases in the construction of reasoned consensus.
KM05 (Associate the fundamental concepts of philosophical thought: being, truth, value, action, expression, beauty, justice (and its historical development), which structure the different philosophical disciplines.) Associate the fundamental concepts of philosophical thought: being, truth, value, action, expression, beauty, justice (and its historical development), which structure the different philosophical disciplines.
KM06 (Define the structures and modes of philosophical reasoning, the types of logical, ontological, ethical and aesthetic frameworks from a plural and critical perspective, taking into account the forms of construction of discourses in terms of gender.) Define the structures and modes of philosophical reasoning, the types of logical, ontological, ethical and aesthetic frameworks from a plural and critical perspective, taking into account the forms of construction of discourses in terms of gender.
KM07 (Identify the essential elements of philosophical practice such as conceptual analysis, the construction of arguments, rational deliberation and the use of language in persuasion and dialogue.) Identify the essential elements of philosophical practice such as conceptual analysis, the construction of arguments, rational deliberation and the use of language in persuasion and dialogue.
KM43 (Recognise concepts, assumptions and forms of argumentation in classical and contemporary philosophical texts in order to explain their meaning and theoretical relevance.) Recognise concepts, assumptions and forms of argumentation in classical and contemporary philosophical texts in order to explain their meaning and theoretical relevance.
SM05 (Developindividual reasoning in a debate on a philosophical topic that includes critical arguments and objections based on a diverse perspective.) Developindividual reasoning in a debate on a philosophical topic that includes critical arguments and objections based on a diverse perspective.
SM06 (Prepare basic, clear, well-structured and argumentatively solid philosophical discourses, both in written and oral format in the writing and defense of an explicit thesis, for the logical organisation of ideas and with the rigorous incorporation of sources.) Prepare basic, clear, well-structured and argumentatively solid philosophical discourses, both in written and oral format in the writing and defense of an explicit thesis, for the logical organisation of ideas and with the rigorous incorporation of sources.
SM07 (Apply theoretical and practical philosophical tools (concepts and forms of argumentation) to the analysis and evaluation of current discourses, problems or phenomena.) Apply theoretical and practical philosophical tools (concepts and forms of argumentation) to the analysis and evaluation of current discourses, problems or phenomena.
SM44 (Analyse philosophical arguments, identifying theses, internal coherence, and discursive strategies in order to evaluate their logical soundness.) Analyse philosophical arguments, identifying theses, internal coherence, and discursive strategies in order to evaluate their logical soundness.

I. Introduction

Concept of metaphysics, current panorama.

II. The question of being

Plato and the metaphysics of the One. History and current interpretations.
Aristotle and being as being. History and current interpretations.

III. Language and truth

Ancient (Plato, Cratylus) and medieval (Augustine, De magistro) concept of language
Gadamer: language and hermeneutical experience

IV. The anthropological, linguistic and hermeneutical turn in metaphysics

V. Balance: Metaphysics, yet?

Learning activities and methodology

Title	Hours	ECTS	Learning outcomes
Preparation of topics and texts. Bibliographic expansion	20	0.8	KM05, KM06, KM07, KM43, SM07, SM44
Reading. Plato: "Parmenides"	15.5	0.62	CM07, KM05, KM06, KM07, SM07, SM44
Master class	45	1.8	CM06, KM05, KM06, KM07, KM43, SM05, SM06, SM07, SM44
Presentations	10	0.4	CM05, CM06, CM07, KM05, KM06, KM07, SM05, SM06, SM44
Tutorials	5	0.2	CM05, CM07, SM05, SM07, SM44
Reading. Aristotle, Metaphysics, 12.	8	0.32	KM05, KM06, KM07, KM43, SM07, SM44
Reading. Grondin, "Introducción a la Metafísica", cc. VI-XI, pp. 181-380.	26	1.04	KM05, KM06, KM07, KM43, SM05, SM07, SM44
Study and commenting on especially significant texts	15	0.6	CM05, CM07, KM05, KM06, KM07, KM43, SM05, SM06, SM07, SM44

In classes the lecturer will present the topics and comment on some especially significant texts. It is very important to attend and participate in class.

In addition, the student will have to do three personal mandatory readings:

1. Plato's Parmenides;

2. The book Lambda (12) of Aristotle's Metaphysics;

3. Jean Grondin, Introduction to Metaphysics (available online through the library. https://elibro.net/es/lc/uab/titulos/45768), cc. VI-XI, pp. 181-380.

The student, individually or in a small group, must make a presentation of these readings and they will be the subject of an exam.

We will use the Virtual Campus basically to share the materials and deliver the activities. On the other hand, if the student would like to contact the lecturer, it is necessary to do so by email.

So that the student can schedule the course well, on the first day of class the teacher will post a calendar on the Virtual Campus with the most important dates of the course (exams, assignment submission, etc.).

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title	Weight	Hours	ECTS	Learning outcomes
First exam	35 %	1.5	0.06	CM05, KM05, KM06, KM07, KM43, SM05, SM06, SM07, SM44
Oral presentation (and written report)	20 %	0.5	0.02	CM05, CM06, CM07, KM05, KM43, SM05, SM06, SM44
Participation and class activities	10 %	2	0.08	CM05, CM06, CM07, KM05, KM07, KM43, SM05, SM06, SM07, SM44
Second exam	35 %	1.5	0.06	CM05, CM06, KM05, KM07, KM43, SM05, SM06, SM07, SM44

SINGLE ASSESSMENT

This course does not provide for a single-assessment system.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

The Department of Philosophy establishes a period during which assessment activities are concentrated. The teaching staff will indicate whether such a period exists or specify the dates of the assessments at the beginning of each course.

Continuous assessment presupposes class attendance, active participation, and consistent engagement with the course.

To pass the course, students must: a) obtain a minimum grade of 4 in each of the two examinations; and b) achieve an overall average grade of at least 5 across the various assessment activities. Students who do not meet both conditions must sit the resit examination(s) corresponding to the assessment(s) preventing them from passing the course. Students may only take the resit examination if they have previously completed the corresponding midterm examinations.

The oral presentation is not subject to reassessment, even if it has been failed.

Students who have completed assessment activities worth 30% or less of the final grade will receive a Not Assessed grade.

There is no second examination session.

Once the course activities have been assessed and the final grade has been assigned, the instructor will announce the date, time, and place for the review of examinations. Students required to take the resit examination will be assigned a specific review session after completing the resit assessment. The same criteria for obtaining a Not Assessed grade as those established for continuous assessment will apply.

Notes on assessment activities

Examinations. The examination may consist of two parts: theoretical questions and the commentary of a text excerpt. In the theoretical questions, students must demonstrate knowledge of the course topics, the basic bibliography relating to those topics, and the required readings.

Oral Presentation. Individually or in small groups, students will give a presentation lasting between 20 and 30 minutes on an aspect or section of the required readings and will prepare a short written report to be shared with classmates through the Virtual Campus.

Class Participation. The instructor will assess students’ active participation in class. Completing the proposed activities, preparing classes in advance, expanding upon course content, making contributions, and sharing them in class are essential for making proper use of the course.

Resit Examination. The resit examination will consist of a test combining theoretical questions and text commentary.

NOTES

Erasmus students who request to take an examination earlier than scheduled must provide the instructor with a written document from their home university justifying the request.

If a student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade awarded for an assessment activity, that activity will be graded 0, regardless of any disciplinary proceedings that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage of the assessment activities in this course. Any assignment containing AI-generated material will be considered a breach of academic integrity and will result in a grade of 0 for the activity, with no possibility of reassessment, and may lead to more severe sanctions in serious cases.

Bibliography

Compulsory readings

PLATÓ, Parmènides (Textos Filosòfics, 55), Barcelona, Edicions 62; i Diàlegs, XIV (Fundació Bernat Metge, 144), Barcelona, 1995.

ARISTÒTIL, Metafísica, vol. 2 (Fundació Bernat Metge, 426), Barcelona, 2019. [Llibre XII].

Jean GRONDIN, Introducción a la Metafísica, Barcelona, Herder, 2006. Disponible en línia: https://elibro.net/es/ereader/uab/45768

Basic bibliography

DILTHEY, El naixement de l'hermenèutica (Textos Filosòfics, 76), Barcelona, 1997;

R. GABÁS, Filosofía del siglo XX, dins J. Hirschberger, Historia de la filosofía, III, Barcelona, Herder, 2011.

F. NEF, Qu'est-ce que la metaphysique?, París, 2004.

Teresa OÑATE, Para leer la "Metafísica" de Aristóteles en el siglo XXI, Madrid, Dykinson, 2001.

RECAS BAYON, J, Hacia una hermenéutica crítica. Gadamer, Habermas, Apel, Vattimo, Rorty, Derrida y Ricoeur, Madrid, Biblioteca Nueva, 2006.

VATTIMO, G, Más allá de la intepretación, Barcelona, Paidós, 1995.

Note: In class or on the Virtual Campus, the lecturer will provide the specific bibliography for each subject.

Software

The essay will be presented in a .doc and/or .pdf file.

If an online session had to be done, Teams or Meet would be used

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching	Group	Language	Semester	Shift
(TE) Theory	1	Catalan	first semester	morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices	1	Catalan	first semester	morning-mixed
(TE) Theory	2	Catalan	second semester	morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices	2	Catalan	second semester	morning-mixed