From an Ontological Point of View is a highly original and accessible exploration of fundamental questions about what there is. John Heil discusses such issues as whether the world includes levels of reality; the nature of objects and properties; the demands of realism; what makes things true; qualities, powers, and the relation these bear to one another. He advances an account of the fundamental constituents of the world around us, and applies this account to problems that have plagued recent work in the philosophy of mind and metaphysics (color, intentionality, and the nature of consciousness).

• Preface


• 1: Introduction


• ONTOLOGY


• 2: Levels of Reality


• 3: Predicates and Properties


• 4: Difficulties for the Levels Conception


• 5: Abandoning Levels


• 6: Philosophical Analysis


• 7: Truth Making


• 8: Powers


• 9: Dispositional and Categorical Properties


• 10: Properties as Pure Powers


• 11: The Identity Theory


• 12: Universals


• 13: Modes


• 14: Imperfect Similarity


• 15: Objects


• 16: Substantial Identity


• APPLICATIONS


• 17: Colour


• 18: Intentionality


• 19: Conscious Experience


• 20: Zombies