A Companion to Metaphysics (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy Series)

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Reference Tool and Study Guide
Review: This work has helped me immeasurably in my current research as well as past school work and research. From A to Z Kim and Sosa present literally hundreds of entries for the reader as well as great reference works to launch into further research. The only pitfall I can find to the book is the fact that it is built around an analytic philosophy (which comes forth in many of the entries). However, many of the continental philosophers and Medieval philosophers are covered. The authors include current trends in the realm of metaphysics and historical trends as well. This is a great starting point for the metaphysician. Moreover, it is a great reference tool that provides other avenues, via further reference, to ignite additional study.

Rating:
Summary: Thorough and indispensible.
Review: With 264 entries from A to Z written by some of the world's leading philosophers, this encyclopedic Companion from Blackwell is an indispensible aid to students of philosophy in or out of the classroom. If you plan to do any reading in metaphysics, an investment in this volume will be handsomely repaid.

It's hard to comment on specifics since the entries themselves are so widely varied, so let me just recommend a companion volume: Michael Loux's _Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction_. (And _The Oxford Companion to Philosophy_, edited by Ted Honderich, is another keeper.)

The Blackwell "Companion" series is very good in general. See also _A Companion to Epistemology_, which is highly recommended too.