Metaphysics

Presented by Morgan Gilbert

…What is Metaphysics?•Ancient, Medieval philosophers: the initial study of beings, causes, and unchanging things

•“a branch of philosophy that treats of first principles, includes ontology and cosmology, and is intimately connected with epistemology”

•Some philosophical problems classified as metaphysical

•LOGIC (PHYSICS) + PHILOSOPHY = METAPHYSICS!!!!

Definition Continued:•Aristotle had names for concepts found in metaphysics: first philosophy, first science, first religion

•“master physicals before after physicals”

•Word “metaphysics” based on “Ta meta ta phusika” – “the after the physics”

•Theory created/ coined b/c physics applied to more narrow set of topics- natural theology (including 1st causes, rational psychology as a branch of the soul)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO3YBQa6GHM&feature=related

Example Through a Hypothetical Situation: Video

The Categories of Metaphyics•Two main parts: • General metaphysics- study of being as such• Special metaphysics- study of souls and

material bodies

Metaphysics

Special

epistemology cosmology ontology

General

Beings as such

Ontology•Specification of conceptualization•Description on foncepts and relationships of something•Purpose of ontology is important

Cosmology• (Philosophy)- general origin and structure of parts, elements, and laws of the universe, including space, time, casuality, freedom•(Astronomy)- evolution of the universe

Epistemology

•Study of knowledge and justified belief•Creation and destruction of knowledge

•What are the necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge? What are its sources? What are its limits?

•What makes justified beliefs justified? Is justification internal or external?

•What are the limits of knowledge and justification?

Epistemology Cont’d

Structure of knowledge and justification

• Foundationalism: structured like a building How do beliefs justify themselves?

• Coherentism: structured like a web denial of existence of basic beliefs

In Relation to C+P…

Character of Raskolnikov:How does he justify the killings?• better for world if shop owner is dead• he desires $- self-interest•“grasping at straws” to rationalize

Coherentism- all of his rationalizations are weak

Epistemology Cont’d

Sources of Knowledge and Justification

•Perception: senses and “seeming”

•Introspection: capacity to inspect one’s own mind• Ex: if it seems like something physically hurts but

it actually doesn’t

•Memory: remembering vs seeming to remember• Memory vs imagination

“New” Metaphysical Problems

•Modality: distinction between things that might have been false and could not have been false

•Questions of time and space• Questions can be asked of time that have no

spacial equivalent• Ex: Based on theory of relativity of time and

space: If space is infinite, is time?• Ex: Is apparent passage of time real in the

sense that the present is real?...cannot be applied to space

“New” Metaphysical Problems Cont’d•The mental and physical oppose as time and space oppose

•Free will and the unforeseeable future• “If it is a mere matter of chance whether I lie

or tell the truth, how can it be up to me whether I lie or tell the truth?

Peter van Ingawen: metaphysics attempts describe an ultimate reality• wouldn’t science fit that definition??

Works CitedBlue Abstract Sea Anemone. Digital image. Pictured States. Wordpress. Web. 30 Nov.

2011.Brain. Digital image. The Virtual Cooler. Web. 30 Nov. 2011."Cosmology | Define Cosmology at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. "Epistemology (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)." Stanford Encyclopedia of

Philosophy. Stanford University. Web. 30 Nov. 2011.A Lesson in Metaphysics - YouTube. Perf. Michelle Aspis. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 3

Dec. 2006. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO3YBQa6GHM>."Metaphysics | Define Metaphysics at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the

Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 26 Nov. 2011."Metaphysics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University. Web. 21 Nov. 2011."MIT Objectivist Club - The Philosophy - Overview." MIT - Massachusetts Institute of

Technology. Web. 05 Dec. 2011.Solar system. Digital image. Conscious Times Online. Web. 30 Nov. 2011."What Is an Ontology?" Stanford Knowledge Systems, AI Laboratory. Stanford University. Web. 30 Nov. 2011.