To be or not to be: 3 metaphysical conundrums.

As a voluntary assignment addressed to my students in our 1º de Bachillerato, here you'll find three stories, three strange cases about beings and non-beings, about concrete and abstract things, or about how things' properties depend on the observer's point of view.

Firstly, the links to the stories:

1. Train Cancelled.
2. The Hidden Statue.
3. Poincaré's Problem.


Now the links to the tasks:

a) Train Cancelled.
b) The Hidden Statue.
c) Poincaré's Problem.

They might improve your marks up to 0.8 points (0.3 + 0.3 + 0.2) at the end of this term. You are even allowed to answer the questions partially. Take your time and try to be both creative and thoughtful. Good luck!

Deadline: Tuesday, April 30.

ADDENDUM

• Here you can find some of the finest answers to the three conundrums.

Illustrating some metaphysical problems

In this post you can find, dear students of 1º de Bachillerato, some short videos aimed to illustrate a few classic metaphysical problems as discussed in sections 2.1 to 2.7 in the booklet of our Unit 4. 

Some of them may have already been shown in class; all of them may be useful to deepen in some questions, check the relevant vocabulary or just enjoy them (?).

2.1. This is not a table:

2.1. Appearance and reality.  
2.3. Objects and properties, an introduction addressed to kids.
2.3. Universals and particulars.
2.3. Four Ways of Thinking About Abstract Objects, a bit more demanding.
2.4. Zeno's Paradoxes.
2.5. Is Time Real? Also this clip about the same topic.
2.6. Necessary and Contingent.
2.6. What is Impossibility?
2.6. Are Possible Worlds Real?
2.7. Nothingness (in Spanish).