Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and being. It seeks to answer questions about existence such as what is truly real, what causes exist, and the relationship between mind and body. The document outlines several metaphysical questions and theories about the nature of reality, including common sense realism, idealism, Platonic realism, materialism, monism, and dualism. It also discusses the principles of non-contradiction and sufficient reason, which are foundational to metaphysical thought.
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and being. It seeks to answer questions about existence such as what is truly real, what causes exist, and the relationship between mind and body. The document outlines several metaphysical questions and theories about the nature of reality, including common sense realism, idealism, Platonic realism, materialism, monism, and dualism. It also discusses the principles of non-contradiction and sufficient reason, which are foundational to metaphysical thought.
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and being. It seeks to answer questions about existence such as what is truly real, what causes exist, and the relationship between mind and body. The document outlines several metaphysical questions and theories about the nature of reality, including common sense realism, idealism, Platonic realism, materialism, monism, and dualism. It also discusses the principles of non-contradiction and sufficient reason, which are foundational to metaphysical thought.
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and being. It seeks to answer questions about existence such as what is truly real, what causes exist, and the relationship between mind and body. The document outlines several metaphysical questions and theories about the nature of reality, including common sense realism, idealism, Platonic realism, materialism, monism, and dualism. It also discusses the principles of non-contradiction and sufficient reason, which are foundational to metaphysical thought.
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TOMAS CLAUDIO COLLEGES
Morong, Rizal
GRADUATE STUDIES DEPARTMENT
Course Title : EDUC 204 – School Administration and Supervision
Professorial Lecturer : DR. RUEL G. MANALO Topic : Metaphysics Presenter : Date of Presentation :
METAPHYSICS - The Study of the Nature of Reality
What is Metaphysics? It deals with questions about the essence and the existence of things. What is the true nature of reality. It is the philosophy of being which seeks to answer questions about existence. It is study of questions about the world left unanswered by the natural sciences, such as those regarding First Causes; Laws of the Universe; Mind/Body; Freedom/Determinism.
Metaphysical Questions What is reality? Why is there something and not nothing? What is a being? What is a person? Am I free? Is there a supreme being? Who am I? Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going?
What is Metaphysics and why do we study it?
Metaphysics is concerned with what there is or what we refer to by using such terms as ‘reality’, ‘being’ and ‘existence’, beyond the physical nature of these terms. Most people rely on common sense or a religious authority to answer them. But philosophers try to build up a picture of the structure of reality based on reason and logic.
Does God exist?
Since we are concerned with beyond the physical, this question rates high on the list of questions that metaphysics attempts to answer. Theology and metaphysics shared a common interest, they both interested in finding proof of God’s existence.
What is God? In philosophy we are not talking about a God of a particular religion but God as a word that means creator, causer, intelligence, sustainer of the universe. The arguments that philosophers consider, examine whether it is reasonable to suppose there is such a being.
A priori - These are arguments we can make independently of our experiences. They don’t have to be confirmed by our experience.
A Posteriori - These are arguments from our experiences and our senses. They have to be confirmed by our experience. These arguments come after experience.
Foundational Principles
Principle of non-contradiction - no real being can both be and not be at the same time and in the same respect.
Principle of sufficient reason: every being has the sufficient reason for existence in itself or in another. It is not possible for something to be its own cause (otherwise it would violate the Principle of non-contradiction). Every being that does not possess the sufficient reason for its own existence in itself must have an efficient cause (necessarily extrinsic to itself).
Theories of Metaphysics
Common Sense Realism - What people perceive under ordinary conditions is reality. Idealism - George Berkeley 18th Century. It denies existence of material things. Reality is ideas and the minds that hold these ideas. “Esse est percipi” (“to be is to be perceived”). Objects are ideas that God placed in humans Platonic Realism - Reality is ideal forms or ideas that are timeless, unchanging, immaterial, and more perfect than the world of changeable things. Materialism or Physicalism - Pre-Socratic Philosophers. Everything is physical; Reality consists of matter. Matter – particles in motion and forces like gravity. Monism - Reality is one all-encompassing thing. All particular things are expressions of this one thing. Things can be material or mental. Baruch Spinoza argued it could also be divine.. String Theory – everything is composed of one-dimensional strings of energy. Dualism - Descartes . Reality consists of two things: Mind and Matter. Interactionism is a common version of dualism. Mind and Body co-exist as separate entities.
The Two-Fold Tendency of a Man
The Natural Tendency to the Good. - This tendency is best explained as: Will as Object. This type of good is an object of natural desire. This tendency is to possess things. This is HUMAN.
The Moral Choice of what is Reasonable - This tendency is best explained as: The Will as Reason. This type of good is an object of reasonable love. This tendency is to know and love another person. This is MORAL.
