What is Metaphysics?
Metaphysics is the philosophical branch that contemplates being-ness; what it means to "be;" what things exist, and how they exist. Metaphysics "examines the fundamental nature of reality" (Wikipedia. 2021) for everything in existence.
"Originally, metaphysics dealt with existence or being as such, first causes, or things that don't change." (Carneades.org).
To understand what Metaphysics is, let us be clear of the areas it does not cover:
Ethics and Morality
Knowledge
Justification
Belief
Logic
Beauty and Aesthetics
Theories of Meaning
Methods of Science
Theories of Mind
Theories of Math
Rationality
(Carneades.org, 2015).
(While metaphysics can overlap in certain areas listed above, these categories are not the primary concern of metaphysics.)
The primary concern of metaphysics is on the nature of existence and what it means to "be" from different perspectives and positions of being-ness. Metaphysics, as a branch of philosophy, covers:
Ontology (Existence)
Personal Identity
Cause and Effect
Identity (Persistence)
Mereology (Parthood)
Universals and Properties
Free Will and Determinism
Existence vs Subsistence
Materialism vs Idealism
Time (Travel and Reality of)
Modality (Necessity and Possibility)
(Carneades.org, 2015).
It is important to note that ontology is a segment within metaphysics that contemplates the nature of being. While metaphysics itself looks at the general nature of reality, ontology looks only at the nature of being. While metaphysics looks at how, ontology looks at what. Ontology lives within the definition of metaphysics; however, metaphysics envelopes all the various studies of being-ness under one title: Metaphysics.
Metaphysics looks at what kind of thing a thing is, whether it be an insect, a car, a person, or the moon. And it asks what kind of existence this thing has: does it have free will to decide its destiny? (A car does not have free will.) How does it relate to its parts? (How does the earth experience the stars and planets?) Is it necessary or contingent? (Water is necessary; an individual insect is contingent. It is possible for it to exist; however, reality will exist with the individual insect or without it. Reality would not exist without water.) These are the questions metaphysicists ask – what is existence and how is that existence experienced?
The prefix "meta" informally means: "concerning or providing information about members of its own category" (Merriam-Webster, 2021). When ‘physics’ – defined as "a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions" (Merriam-Webster, 2021) – is connected with ‘meta,’ the resulting 'metaphysics’ is defined as: "more comprehensive; transcending" (Merriam-Webster). So, we are to understand by metaphysics' very definition that this branch of philosophy transcends – moves above and beyond – our 3rd-dimensional reality to find answers in the invisible realms of existence, consciousness, and the esoteric mysteries of the human soul.
While philosophers have argued whether metaphysics could be a waste of time (philosophyterms.com), the question of whether to be or not to be – humanity's age-old contemplation, summed up eternally by William Shakespeare – shows us, by its ever-reoccurring presence within our minds, hearts, and lives – that metaphysics is definitely worthy of contemplation.
References:
Metaphysics. (2021, March 13). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysics
Carneades.org. (2015, June 28). What is Metaphysics? (Definition) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxV0zGVDXKo&t=2s
Metaphysics: Definition and Key Ideas. Retrieved from https://philosophyterms.com/metaphysics/.
Merriam-Webster (2021). Meta. Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meta.
Merriam-Webster (2021). Physics. Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physics.