Metaphysics

The Great Books of the Western Canon, organized by Mortimer J. Adler in the Syntopicon, span 102 enduring ideas—ranging from Truth, Beauty, and Justice to Democracy, Love, and God. These categories trace the intellectual tradition of the West, connecting philosophy, literature, history, science, and theology. Together, they map the recurring questions and principles shaping human thought across centuries.

1115 posts

The Nature of The Distinction Between Being and Essence

by Benjamin Richmond in Being

Unpacking Reality: The Profound Distinction Between Being and Essence The very fabric of existence, the nature of reality itself, often hinges on a fundamental philosophical concept: the distinction between Being and Essence. This isn't merely an academic exercise in semantics; it's a cornerstone of Metaphysics, inviting...

The Problem of One and Many and One and Many

by Chloe Fitzgerald in One and Many

The Unfolding Tapestry: Navigating the Problem of One and Many Is reality fundamentally a unified whole, or is it a collection of distinct, individual parts? This isn't just a quirky thought experiment; it's the foundational challenge in Metaphysics, often termed The Problem of One and Many....

The Idea of Form (Eidos) in Metaphysics and Form

by Daniel Sanderson in Form

The Enduring Blueprint: Plato's Idea of Form (Eidos) in Metaphysics In the grand tapestry of philosophical thought, few concepts have resonated with such profound and persistent influence as Plato's Idea of Form, or Eidos. It’s a cornerstone of Western metaphysics, offering a radical vision of...

The Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds and Hypothesis

by Henry Montgomery in Hypothesis

The Infinite Echoes: Exploring the Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds By Henry Montgomery August 15, 2023 A Glimpse Beyond Our Horizon: Summary The Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds posits the existence of realities beyond our own, challenging the singular nature of our World. This concept, ancient in its philosophical roots and remarkably...

The Matter-Form Distinction in Physical Objects and Matter

by Chloe Fitzgerald in Matter

Beyond the Surface: Unpacking the Matter-Form Distinction in Physical Objects Summary: Have you ever stopped to wonder what truly constitutes the physical objects around us? Is it just the stuff they're made of, or something more? The ancient, yet enduring, philosophical concept of the matter-form distinction offers a...

The Metaphysical Concept of Being and Metaphysics

by Daniel Fletcher in Metaphysics

The Enduring Enigma of Being: A Metaphysical Journey The question of Being stands as the bedrock of philosophical inquiry, a concept so fundamental it underpins every perception, every thought, and every existence we encounter. In metaphysics, the branch of philosophy dedicated to understanding the fundamental nature of reality, the concept...

The Limitless Nature of Infinity and Infinity

by Benjamin Richmond in Infinity

The Limitless Nature of Infinity Summary: Infinity, a concept as ancient as thought itself, transcends mere numerical vastness to penetrate the core of mathematics, metaphysics, and our very understanding of reality. This article explores its multifaceted nature, from the countable infinities of modern mathematics to the boundless absolute found in...

The Mind-Body Problem in Modern Science and Mind

by Henry Montgomery in Mind

Bridging the Chasm: The Mind-Body Problem's Enduring Relevance in Modern Science The relationship between our subjective experience – our thoughts, feelings, and consciousness – and the physical matter of our brains and bodies is perhaps the most profound and persistent question in philosophy. This is the Mind-Body Problem, an ancient...

Causality in Physics and Metaphysics and Cause

by Emily Fletcher in Cause

The Unseen Threads: Causality in Physics and Metaphysics From the simplest falling apple to the grandest cosmic expansion, our universe seems to operate on a principle of cause and effect. Yet, beneath this intuitive understanding lies a profound philosophical and scientific challenge: What exactly is a cause? How do we...

The Concept of the Soul in Ancient Philosophy and Soul

by Henry Montgomery in Soul

The Soul's Genesis: Tracing the Concept of Being in Ancient Philosophy The human quest to understand existence, consciousness, and the very essence of what makes us us invariably leads to the concept of the Soul. In ancient Philosophy, this concept was not merely a theological construct but a...

The Element of Good and Evil in the World and Element

by Daniel Fletcher in Element

The Intrinsic Duality: Unpacking the Element of Good and Evil in the World Introduction: The Perennial Question For millennia, humanity has grappled with the profound and often perplexing element of Good and Evil, perceiving them as fundamental forces shaping our existence within the World. Are they objective realities, inherent aspects...

The Philosophical Concept of Being and Philosophy

by Emily Fletcher in Philosophy

The Philosophical Concept of Being: A Journey into Existence Itself The concept of "Being" stands as the most fundamental and perhaps the most perplexing inquiry in all of philosophy. It is the bedrock upon which all other questions rest, asking not merely what exists, but that it exists,...

The Philosophical Problem of One and Many and Philosophy

by Emily Fletcher in Philosophy

The Enduring Riddle: Unraveling the Philosophical Problem of One and Many Summary: At the very heart of Philosophy, lies a profound and persistent question: how can the world be both a singular, unified whole and simultaneously a collection of diverse, distinct parts? This is the Philosophical Problem of One and...

The Nature of The Concept of Being in Relation to Quality

by Daniel Fletcher in Being

The Inseparable Dance: Exploring the Concept of Being in Relation to Quality Summary: At the very heart of metaphysics lies a profound and often perplexing question: What does it mean to be? This article delves into the intricate relation between Being and Quality, arguing that these two fundamental concepts are...

The Concept of God as First Cause and God

by Emily Fletcher in God

The Concept of God as First Cause: Unraveling Existence's Origin Summary The concept of God as the First Cause is one of the most enduring and profound ideas in Western philosophy and theology, central to understanding the very nature of existence. It posits that for anything to exist,...

The Problem of Time and Infinity and Problem

by Daniel Fletcher in Problem

The Enduring Problem: Grappling with Time and Infinity in Metaphysics The concepts of time and infinity stand as two of the most profound and perplexing challenges within philosophy, particularly in the realm of metaphysics. This article delves into the intricate problem of understanding these fundamental aspects of reality, exploring why...

The Logic of Same and Other in Metaphysics and Logic

by Daniel Sanderson in Logic

The Fundamental Dance: Exploring the Logic of Same and Other in Metaphysics In the grand tapestry of Metaphysics, few distinctions are as foundational and persistent as that between the Same and the Other. This article delves into how the rigorous application of Logic allows us to unpack these concepts, revealing...

The Philosophy of Space and Philosophy

by Emily Fletcher in Philosophy

The Infinite Canvas: Exploring the Philosophy of Space The concept of Space—that vast, enigmatic expanse in which all things exist—has captivated human thought since antiquity. Far from being a mere backdrop for our experiences, space is a fundamental philosophical problem, prompting profound questions about existence, perception, and the...

The Metaphysical Status of Universal Forms and Metaphysics

by Benjamin Richmond in Metaphysics

The Enduring Enigma: Unpacking the Metaphysical Status of Universal Forms This article delves into one of philosophy's most persistent and profound puzzles: the metaphysical status of universal forms. From ancient Greece to contemporary thought, thinkers have grappled with the nature of shared properties, concepts, and ideas—what makes...

The Element of Being and Non-Being and Element

by Benjamin Richmond in Element

The Fundamental Element: Unpacking Being and Non-Being in Metaphysics This article delves into the foundational philosophical concepts of Being and Non-Being, exploring their historical development and enduring significance as the core element of metaphysics. From the ancient Greeks who first grappled with existence and non-existence to later thinkers who saw...

The Definition of Quality and Form and Definition

by Emily Fletcher in Definition

The Enduring Dance of Quality and Form: A Metaphysical Inquiry In the vast landscape of philosophical inquiry, few concepts are as fundamental, yet as elusive, as Quality and Form. To truly understand reality, we must grapple with how things are (their qualities) and what they are (their form). This article...

The Philosophical Problem of Quantity and Philosophy

by Henry Montgomery in Philosophy

Beyond the Numbers: Unpacking the Philosophical Problem of Quantity By Henry Montgomery The Elusive Nature of "How Much" The concept of quantity seems, at first glance, utterly straightforward. We count, we measure, we weigh – these are fundamental activities in our daily lives and the bedrock of science. Yet,...

The Problem of Causality in Metaphysics and Cause

by Daniel Sanderson in Cause

The Invisible Threads: Unraveling the Problem of Causality in Metaphysics A Direct Summary: The Enduring Riddle of Cause The problem of causality stands as one of the most fundamental and vexing questions in Metaphysics, probing the very fabric of reality. This article explores how philosophers, from Aristotle to Hume and...

The Nature of Eternity and Time and Eternity

by Chloe Fitzgerald in Eternity

The Nature of Eternity and Time: A Philosophical Journey Beyond the Clock We all live by the clock, marking seconds, minutes, and years. But what if "time" as we know it is just one facet of a much grander, more profound reality? What if there's an...

The Idea of God as a First Principle and God

by Daniel Fletcher in God

The Idea of God as a First Principle Summary: The Unseen Architect of Thought In the grand tapestry of philosophical inquiry, the concept of a First Principle stands as the ultimate foundational stone, the uncaused cause from which all else derives its existence or intelligibility. This article delves into how...

The Immortality of the Soul and Immortality

by Emily Fletcher in Immortality

The Enduring Enigma: Exploring the Immortality of the Soul The concept of the Immortality of the Soul stands as one of humanity's oldest and most profound philosophical inquiries. From the earliest civilizations to contemporary thought, the question of whether our essence, our consciousness, or our very self persists...

Defining the One and the Many and One and Many

by Henry Montgomery in One and Many

Defining the One and the Many: A Metaphysical Inquiry At the very bedrock of philosophical inquiry lies a question so fundamental, so pervasive, that it has shaped millennia of thought: What is the nature of reality concerning its unity and its multiplicity? This is the enduring problem of the One...

The Nature of The Distinction Between Being and Essence

by Benjamin Richmond in Being

The Enduring Enigma: Unpacking the Distinction Between Being and Essence In the grand tapestry of Metaphysics, few distinctions are as fundamental, or as persistently pondered, as that between Being and Essence. At its core, this philosophical separation grapples with two profound questions: that something is (its Being) and what that...

The Problem of One and Many and One and Many

by Chloe Fitzgerald in One and Many

The Enduring Enigma: Navigating the Problem of One and Many Welcome, fellow travelers on the path of wisdom! Today, we're diving headfirst into one of philosophy's most ancient and persistent puzzles: The Problem of One and Many. At its heart, this is a fundamental metaphysical challenge...

The Idea of Form (Eidos) in Metaphysics and Form

by Daniel Sanderson in Form

The Enduring Blueprint: Unpacking Plato's Idea of Form (Eidos) in Metaphysics The philosophical concept of Form, or Eidos, stands as one of the most profound and enduring ideas in the history of Western thought. At its heart, it posits that beyond the fleeting, imperfect world we perceive with...

The Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds and Hypothesis

by Henry Montgomery in Hypothesis

Beyond the Horizon: Unpacking the Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds Summary: The Hypothesis of Multiple Worlds, often referred to as the multiverse theory, posits the existence of an infinite or vast number of universes beyond our own observable cosmos. From ancient philosophical conjectures found within the Great Books of the Western...

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