1560s; plural ofmetaphysic, fromMiddle Englishmethaphesik,methaphisik,methaphisique,metaphesyk,methafisik,metaphesyk,methephysyk, fromOld Frenchmetafisique,methaphisique andMedieval Latinmetaphysica,methephisica, fromByzantine Greekμεταφυσικά(metaphusiká), from the title of the collection by Aristotleμετὰτὰφυσικά(metà tà phusiká,“FollowingThe Natural World”), a collection that comes after (μετά(metá)) Aristotle's collection entitledτὰφυσικά(tà phusiká,“The Natural World”), fromφυσικός(phusikós,“natural”).[1] Bysurface analysis,meta- +physics.
metaphysics (countable anduncountable,pluralmetaphysics)
- (philosophy, uncountable) The branch ofphilosophy which studiesfundamentalprinciples 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 ofbeing insofar as it is being (Latin:ens in quantum ens).
1976 September,Saul Bellow,Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.:Avon Books,→ISBN,page157:The late philosopher Morris R. Cohen of CCNY was asked by a student in themetaphysics course, "Professor Cohen how do I know that I exist?" The keen old prof replied, "Andwho is asking?"
Philosophers sometimes say thatmetaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of the universe.
- (philosophy, countable) Theview ortheory of a particular philosopher or school of thinkers concerning the first principles which describe or explain all that is.
Themetaphysics of Thomas Aquinas holds that all real beings have both essence and existence.
In Aristotelianmetaphysics physical objects have both form and matter.
- In hisPensées, Pascal mentioned some first principles recognized within hismetaphysics: space, time, motion, and number.
- (logic, uncountable, by extension from the philosophical sense) Themetalogic of physics; the logical framework ofphysics.
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 genericmetaphysics.
- (uncountable, by extension from the philosophical sense) Any fundamental principles or rules.
- (uncountable) The study of asupersensual realm or of phenomena whichtranscend the physical world.
I have a collection of books onmetaphysics, covering astral projection, reincarnation, and communication with spirits.
- (uncountable, derogatory)Displeasinglyabstruse,complex material on any subject.
This political polemic strikes me as a protracted piece of overwrought, fog-shroudedmetaphysics!
metaphysics
- plural ofmetaphysic
branch of philosophy that studies first principles
