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| − | {{stub}} | + | '''Metaphysics''' is the branch of [[philosophy]] concerned with the fundamental nature of [[reality]].<ref>[http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/N095 Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]</ref> It draws its name from from the [[Greek]] meta ta phusika, meaning literally 'beyond [[physics]]', because the book comes after the [[Physics (Aristotle)|Physics]] in the order assigned by an editor of Aristotle's works, [[Andronicus of Rhodes]], about the year A.D. 70. The term metaphysics was unknown to Aristotle, and he variously called this branch of philosophy "first science", "[[wisdom]]" [[Theology|theological science]]" (theologikê) and "first philosophy" (prôtê philosophia)<ref>[http://www.seop.leeds.ac.uk/entries/metaphysics/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy].</ref> Metaphysics includes topics such as philosophy of [[mind]], [[identity]], philosophy of [[space]] and [[time]] (including cosmogeny), [[free will]], and the difference between necessity and possibility. |
| − | The analysis of concepts which transcend physical science, including the [[Philosophy of Mind]].
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| | + | In common usage, Metaphysics can also refer to philosophical speculation of any kind, even when not strictly philosophical, such as [[mysticism]] or [[New Age]]. [[T.G. Masaryk]] maintained that metaphysics is ''"just a small competing enterprise established by philosophy against [[theology]]".''<ref>{{cite book |author=Bohumil Sláma |title=Zapomenutý prorok Tomáš G. Masaryk |publisher=Atelier Sláma |place=Brno |year=2010 |page=97 |isbn=978-8025-484333 |url=http://books.google.no/books?id=ZkUHaAEACAAJ&dq=&redir_esc=y |quote=Metafyzika - nemám ten pojem rád, patrně že jsem takový nepoddajný empirik a praktik. V metafyzice lidé hledají bůhvíjaké hluboké a tajemné vědomosti, a zatím právě metafyzika, aspoň jak byla pěstována posud, je na obsah chudá, chudičká; je to jen malý konkurenční podnik, který si zřídila filozofie proti teologii. |language=Czech}}</ref> |
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| | + | "Schools of Metaphysics" are independent schools of [[New age movement|New Age doctrine]] representing themselves as teaching ancient [[esoteric]] doctrines such as [[syncretism]], [[reincarnation]], [[yoga]], [[symbol]]ism, [[meditation]], [[astrology]], [[Gnosticism]], [[magic]], [[alchemy|spiritual alchemy]] and [[Kabbalah]]. |
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| | + | ==See also== |
| | + | * [[Natural philosophy]] |
| | + | * [[Philosophy of mind]] |
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| | + | ==References== |
| | + | {{reflist}} |
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| | + | [[Category:Philosophy]] |
| | + | [[Category:Buddhism]] |