metaphysics
/mɛtəˈfɪzɪks/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.08 in modern English
23
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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).
Uncountable
noun
The view or theory of a particular philosopher or school of thinkers concerning the first principles which describe or explain all that is.
Countable
noun
The study of a supersensual realm or of phenomena which transcend the physical world.
Uncountable
noun
plural of metaphysic
Example Sentences
- "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?""
- "Philosophers sometimes say that metaphysics is the study of the ultimate nature of the universe."
- "The metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas holds that all real beings have both essence and existence."
- "In Aristotelian metaphysics physical objects have both form and matter."
- "In his Pensées, Pascal mentioned some first principles recognized within his metaphysics: space, time, motion, and number."
- "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."
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: methaphesik, metafisique, metaphysica, μεταφυσικά