Editing Metaphysics (section)

{{Short description|Study of fundamental reality}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}

[[File:Aristotle, Metaphysics, Incunabulum.jpg|thumb|alt=Incunabulum showing a text of the beginning of Aristotle's ''Metaphysics'' at the center of the picture. A group of people in colorful robes stands above it and below it are animals on grass.|The beginning of [[Metaphysics (Aristotle)|Aristotle's ''Metaphysics'']], one of the foundational texts of the discipline]]

'''Metaphysics''' is the branch of [[philosophy]] that examines the basic structure of [[reality]]. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of human understanding. Some philosophers, including [[Aristotle]], designate metaphysics as '''first philosophy'''<!--boldface per WP:R#PLA--> to suggest that it is more fundamental than other forms of philosophical inquiry.

Metaphysics encompasses a wide range of general and abstract topics. It investigates the nature of [[existence]], the features all entities have in common, and their division into [[categories of being]]. An influential division is between [[particular]]s and [[Universal (metaphysics)|universals]]. Particulars are individual unique entities, like a specific apple. Universals are general features that different particulars have in common, like the color {{em|red}}. [[Modal metaphysics]] examines what it means for something to be possible or necessary. Metaphysicians also explore the [[Philosophy of space and time|concepts of space, time, and change]], and their connection to [[causality]] and the [[Scientific laws|laws of nature]]. Other topics include how [[mind–body problem|mind and matter are related]], whether everything in the world is [[Determinism|predetermined]], and whether there is [[free will]].

Metaphysicians use [[Philosophical methodology|various methods]] to conduct their inquiry. Traditionally, they rely on rational [[intuition]]s and [[abstract reasoning]] but have recently included [[Empirical evidence|empirical]] approaches associated with scientific theories. Due to the abstract nature of its topic, metaphysics has received criticisms questioning the reliability of its methods and the meaningfulness of its theories. Metaphysics is relevant to many fields of inquiry that often implicitly rely on metaphysical concepts and assumptions.

The [[History of metaphysics|roots of metaphysics]] lie in [[ancient period|antiquity]] with speculations about the nature and origin of the universe, like those found in the [[Upanishads]] in [[ancient India]], [[Daoism]] in [[ancient China]], and [[pre-Socratic philosophy]] in [[ancient Greece]]. During the subsequent [[medieval period]] in the West, discussions about the [[Problem of universals|nature of universals]] were influenced by the philosophies of [[Plato]] and Aristotle. The [[modern period]] saw the emergence of various comprehensive systems of metaphysics, many of which embraced [[idealism]]. In the 20th century, traditional metaphysics in general and idealism in particular faced various criticisms, which prompted new approaches to metaphysical inquiry.