Dictionary

metaphysics en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /mɛtəˈfɪzɪks/
• (US) audio
• mĕ'təfĭziks

Etymology

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.

Meanings

1. (form-of, plural) plural of metaphysic
   form of metaphysic
2. (uncountable) 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).
   • Philosophers sometimes say that metaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of the universe.
   • 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?" 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 157:
3. (countable) The view or theory of a particular philosopher or school of thinkers concerning the first principles which describe or explain all that is.
   • The metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas holds that all real beings have both essence and existence.
   • In his Pensées, Pascal mentioned some first principles recognized within his metaphysics: space, time, motion, and number.
   • In Aristotelian metaphysics physical objects have both form and matter.
4. (broadly, from the philosophical sense, uncountable) The metalogic of physics; the logical framework of physics.
   • 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.
5. (broadly, from the philosophical sense, uncountable) Any fundamental principles or rules.
   • The metaphysics of global power has changed. Markets are now more valuable than territory. 1990 January 1, Lance Morrow, “Gorbachev: The Unlikely Patron of Change”, in Time:
6. (uncountable) The study of a supersensual realm or of phenomena which transcend the physical world.
   • I have a collection of books on metaphysics, covering astral projection, reincarnation, and communication with spirits.
7. (derogatory, uncountable) Displeasingly abstruse, complex material on any subject.
   • This political polemic strikes me as a protracted piece of overwrought, fog-shrouded metaphysics!

Forms

Deriveds

metasearch engine · metametaphysics · pseudometaphysics · metaphysicist · antimetaphysics · metaphysician · metaphysical

Meronyms

ontology

Relateds

physics

Translations (52)

vi siêu hình học (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · mk метафи́зика (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · cmn 形上 (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ja 形而上学 (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · de Metaphysik (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · tr mabaduttabiyye (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ga meitifisic (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · hy մետաֆիզիկա (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · yi מעטאַפֿיזיק (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · bg метафи́зика (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · hy բնազանցություն (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · sv metafysik (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · nl metafysica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · km បរមត្ថវិជ្ជា (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · eo metafiziko (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ca metafísica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ru метафи́зика (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · el μεταφυσική (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ar مِيتَافِيزِيقَا (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · la metaphysica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · pl metafizyka (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · cmn 形而上學 /形而上学 (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ia metaphysica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · sk metafyzika (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · tl labawsugnayan (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · da metafysik (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ko 형이상학 (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · id metafisika (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · tr metafizik (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · hi आत्मविद्या (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · cs metafyzika (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · lv metafizika (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · nn metafysikk (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · gl metafísica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · pt metafísica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · hi तत्त्वमीमांसा (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · gu તત્ત્વમીમાંસા (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · km អស្តិរូបវិជ្ជា (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · oc metafisica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · nb metafysikk (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · sl metafizika (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · ar مَا وَرَاءَ الطَّبِيعِيَّات (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · sco metapheisics (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · uk метафі́зика (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · es metafísica (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · wa metafizike (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · io metafiziko (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · is frumspeki (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · hu metafizika (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · th อภิปรัชญา (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · fi metafysiikka (branch of philosophy that studies first principles) · sw metafizikia (branch of philosophy that studies first principles)