•  1922
    Exclusion again
    In Jakob Hohwy & Jesper Kallestrup (eds.), Being Reduced: New Essays on Reduction, Explanation, and Causation, Oxford University Press. pp. 280--307. 2008.
    I think that there is an awful lot wrong with the exclusion problem. So, it seems, does just about everybody else. But of course everyone disagrees about exactly _what_ is wrong with it, and I think there is more to be said about that. So I propose to say a few more words about why the exclusion problem is not really a problem after all—at least, not for the nonreductive physicalist. The genuine _dualist_ is still in trouble. Indeed, one of my main points will be that the nonreductive physicalis…Read more
  •  852
    By Our Bootstraps
    Philosophical Perspectives 25 (1): 27-41. 2011.
    Recently much has been made of the grounding relation, and of the idea that it is intimately tied to fundamentality. If A grounds B, then A is more fundamental than B (though not vice versa ), and A is ungrounded if and only if it is fundamental full stop—absolutely fundamental. But here is a puzzle: is grounding itself absolutely fundamental?
  •  842
    The basic form of the exclusion problem is by now very, very familiar. 2 Start with the claim that the physical realm is causally complete: every physical thing that happens has a sufficient physical cause. Add in the claim that the mental and the physical are distinct. Toss in some claims about overdetermination, give it a stir, and voilá—suddenly it looks as though the mental never causes anything, at least nothing physical. As it is often put, the physical does all the work, and there is noth…Read more
  •  839
    Construction area (no hard hat required)
    Philosophical Studies 154 (1): 79-104. 2011.
    A variety of relations widely invoked by philosophers—composition, constitution, realization, micro-basing, emergence, and many others—are species of what I call ‘building relations’. I argue that they are conceptually intertwined, articulate what it takes for a relation to count as a building relation, and argue that—contra appearances—it is an open possibility that these relations are all determinates of a common determinable, or even that there is really only one building relation.
  •  749
    Mental Causation
    Philosophy Compass 2 (2): 316-337. 2007.
    Concerns about ‘mental causation’ are concerns about how it is possible for mental states to cause anything to happen. How does what we believe, want, see, feel, hope, or dread manage to cause us to act? Certain positions on the mind-body problem—including some forms of physicalism—make such causation look highly problematic. This entry sketches several of the main reasons to worry, and raises some questions for further investigation.
  •  305
    Global supervenience and dependence
    Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 68 (3): 501-529. 2004.
    Two versions of global supervenience have recently been distinguished from each other. I introduce a third version, which is more likely what people had in mind all along. However, I argue that one of the three versions is equivalent to strong supervenience in every sense that matters, and that neither of the other two versions counts as a genuine determination relation. I conclude that global supervenience has little metaphysically distinctive value
  •  239
    Supervenience
    with Brian McLaughlin
    Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2005.
  •  70
    Making Things Up
    Oxford University Press. 2017.
    We frequently speak of certain things or phenomena being built out of or based in others. Making Things Up concerns these relations, which connect more fundamental things to less fundamental things: Karen Bennett calls these 'building relations'. She aims to illuminate what it means to say that one thing is more fundamental than another.
  •  26
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics Volume 13 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2023.
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is dedicated to the timely publication of new work in metaphysics, broadly construed. These volumes provide a forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. They offer a broad view of the subject, featuring not only the traditionally central topics such as existence, identity, modality, time, and causation, but also the rich clusters of metaphysical questions in neighboring fields, such as philosophy of mind and philosophy of science. This book is the 13th v…Read more
  •  19
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics Volume 10
    with W. Zimmerman
    Oxford University Press. 2017.
  •  18
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics, Volume 8 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2013.
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is dedicated to the timely publication of new work in metaphysics, broadly construed. These volumes provide a forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. They offer a broad view of the subject, featuring not only the traditionally central topics such as existence, identity, modality, time, and causation, but also the rich clusters of metaphysical questions in neighbouring fields, such as philosophy of mind and philosophy of science. This book is the eight…Read more
  •  14
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics Volume 12 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2020.
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is the forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character: this series is a much-needed focus for it.
  •  10
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics volume 7 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2012.
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is the forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character: this series is a much-needed focus for it.
  •  6
    Keeping Modality in Mind: In Defense of Token Identity
    Dissertation, University of Michigan. 2000.
    The token identity theory, the claim that each mental event is identical to some physical event, remains a popular view in the philosophy of mind. However, it has been the target of a number of interesting and important criticisms, and broadly physicalist alternatives to the token identity theory are on the rise. I defend the token identity theory against these recent 'token dualist' challenges. ;I begin by clarifying the token identity and token dualist theses. What does it mean to claim---or t…Read more
  •  5
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics Vol. 13 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2023.
    Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character. Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is a forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. OSM offers a broad view of the subject, featuring not only the traditionally central topics such as existence, identity, modality, time, and causation, but also the rich clusters of metaphysical questions in neighbouring fields, such as philsophy of mind and philosophy of science. Besides independent essays, volumes will oft…Read more
  •  3
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics Volume 11 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2018.
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is the forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character: this series is a much-needed focus for it.
  •  2
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics, Volume 9 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press UK. 2015.
    Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character. Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is a forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. OSM offers a broad view of the subject, featuring not only the traditionally central topics such as existence, identity, modality, time, and causation, but also the rich clusters of metaphysical questions in neighbouring fields, such as philosophy of mind and philosophy of science. Besides independent essays, volumes will of…Read more
  •  1
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics: Volume 10 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press UK. 2017.
    Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character. Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is a forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. OSM offers a broad view of the subject, featuring not only the traditionally central topics such as existence, identity, modality, time, and causation, but also the rich clusters of metaphysical questions in neighbouring fields, such as philsophy of mind and philosophy of science. Besides independent essays, volumes will oft…Read more
  •  1
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics Volume 6 (edited book)
    Oxford University Press. 2011.
    Oxford Studies in Metaphysics is the forum for the best new work in this flourishing field. Much of the most interesting work in philosophy today is metaphysical in character: this series is a much-needed focus for it.