|
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to metaphysics: Metaphysics – traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it,〔Geisler, Norman L. "Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics" page 446. Baker Books, 1999.〕 although the term is not easily defined.〔(Metaphysics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) ).〕 Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:〔What is it (that is, whatever it is that there is) like? 〕 # What ''is ultimately there''? # What ''is it like''? == Nature of metaphysics == Metaphysics can be described as all of the following: * Branch of philosophy – philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language.〔Jenny Teichmann and Katherine C. Evans, ''Philosophy: A Beginner's Guide'' (Blackwell Publishing, 1999), p. 1: "Philosophy is a study of problems which are ultimate, abstract and very general. These problems are concerned with the nature of existence, knowledge, morality, reason and human purpose."〕〔A.C. Grayling, ''Philosophy 1: A Guide through the Subject'' (Oxford University Press, 1998), p. 1: "The aim of philosophical inquiry is to gain insight into questions about knowledge, truth, reason, reality, meaning, mind, and value."〕 Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational argument.〔Anthony Quinton, in T. Honderich (ed.), ''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'' (Oxford University Press, 1995), p. 666: "Philosophy is rationally critical thinking, of a more or less systematic kind about the general nature of the world (metaphysics or theory of existence), the justification of belief (epistemology or theory of knowledge), and the conduct of life (ethics or theory of value). Each of the three elements in this list has a non-philosophical counterpart, from which it is distinguished by its explicitly rational and critical way of proceeding and by its systematic nature. Everyone has some general conception of the nature of the world in which they live and of their place in it. Metaphysics replaces the unargued assumptions embodied in such a conception with a rational and organized body of beliefs about the world as a whole. Everyone has occasion to doubt and question beliefs, their own or those of others, with more or less success and without any theory of what they are doing. Epistemology seeks by argument to make explicit the rules of correct belief formation. Everyone governs their conduct by directing it to desired or valued ends. Ethics, or moral philosophy, in its most inclusive sense, seeks to articulate, in rationally systematic form, the rules or principles involved."〕 * Academic discipline – branch of knowledge that is taught and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined (in part), and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned societies and academic departments or faculties to which their practitioners belong. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Outline of metaphysics」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|