The course is conducted in Chinese but uses English textbook。

In classical mereology, the part-whole relationship can be characterized by five axioms: reflexivity, anti-symmetry, transitivity, remainder, and unrestricted composition. However, although classical mereology provides a way of understanding “parthood”, it has also been criticized by many metaphysicians. This course focuses on one of the noteworthy problems of classical mereology: extensionality. We can show that the anti-symmetry axiom and the remainder axiom entail that things with exactly the same proper parts should be identical. Yet, it seems that we can find distinct things composed of exactly the same proper parts. For instance, ‘listen’ and ‘silent’ are two different words composed of same letters. In addition, one can challenge extensionality by taking issues from coincident objects, enduring objects, and (mereological) universalism and nihilism, etc. But is there a better way to understand parthood without being committed to the axioms of anti-symmetry and remainder? This course will start with the axiom system of classical mereology. We will then investigate the metaphysical issues concerning extensionality and various responses.

In this course, students are expected to (1) learn the axiom system of classical mereology, its theorems, and applications; (2) understand the philosophical issues about the axiom system and the background context of discussions; (3) be able to evaluate the debate and formulate their own views.

指定閱讀： Varzi, Achille C. & Cotnoir, A. J. (2021). Mereology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 參考書目： Cotnoir, Aaron (2010). Anti?symmetry and non?extensional mereology. Philosophical Quarterly 60 (239):396-405. Calosi, Claudio (2016). Composition is Identity and Mereological Nihilism. Philosophical Quarterly 66 (263):219-235. Varzi, Achille C. (2008). The extensionality of parthood and composition. Philosophical Quarterly 58 (230):108-133. Cotnoir, Aaron (2014). Does Universalism Entail Extensionalism? Nous 50 (1):121-132. Magidor, Ofra (2015). Endurantism vs. Perdurantism?: A Debate Reconsidered. Nous 50 (3):509-532.