noun ·Moderate ·College level
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"The late philosopher Morris R. Cohen of CCNY was asked by a student in the metaphysics course, "Professor Cohen how do I know that I exist?" The keen old prof replied, "And who is asking?""
"The metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas holds that all real beings have both essence and existence."
"Even other universes should be a result of different physics. Without rules, these universes wouldn't exist, because they will have an undefined, thus impossible, nature. We will never understand or guess all possible forms of physics. That's why we have to understand the generic metaphysics."
"The metaphysics of global power has changed. Markets are now more valuable than territory."
"I have a collection of books on metaphysics, covering astral projection, reincarnation, and communication with spirits."
"This political polemic strikes me as a protracted piece of overwrought, fog-shrouded metaphysics!"
"While the easiest way in metaphysics is to condemn all metaphysics as nonsense, the easiest way in morals is to elevate the common practice of the community into a moral absolute."
The branch of philosophy which studies fundamental principles intended to describe or explain all that is, and which are not themselves explained by anything more fundamental; the study of first principles; the study of being insofar as it is being (Latin: ens in quantum ens).
Common synonyms include: abstract theory, aesthetics, axiology, belief system, casuistry, cosmology.
While the easiest way in metaphysics is to condemn all metaphysics as nonsense, the easiest way in morals is to elevate the common practice of the community into a moral absolute.
Pronounced /mɛtəˈfɪzɪks/.
1560s; plural of metaphysic, from Middle English methaphesik, methaphisik, methaphisique, metaphesyk, methafisik, metaphesyk, methephysyk, from Old French metafisique, methaphisique and Medieval Latin metaphysica, methephisica, from Byzantine Greek μεταφυσικά (metaphusiká), from the title of the collection by Aristotle μετὰ τὰ φυσικά (metà tà phusiká, “Following The Natural World”), a collection that comes after (μετά (metá)) Aristotle's collection entitled τὰ φυσικά (tà phusiká, “The Natural World”), from φυσικός (phusikós, “natural”). By surface analysis, meta- + physics.