Metaphysics Definition – Short
The definition of metaphysics in short, metaphysics is the study of fundamental building blocks of the universe as humans know it. It explores and studies how the world works, what concepts govern the world, and questions how humans and life in general came into existence. Metaphysics can be seen as a branch of philosophy, science, or religion depending on how people study it. Due to the reach of metaphysics, and all that it influences, it is difficult however to pin down the definition as anything both short and encompassing.
Metaphysics Definition – Complete
Metaphysics focuses on being in the world and constantly grapples with the question of existence. Two questions that people who practice metaphysics ponder, no matter if they are looking at the field of study from a religious, scientific, or other perspective, are “At the core of it all, what is there?” and “What is it like?”
To attempt to answer these huge questions, people who practice metaphysics look and study the world through both a scientific and spiritual lens. They try to figure out different parts of existence happens by studying objects, their patterns of existence, their properties, and their interactions with the laws of space and time. Also studied is the idea of cause and effect and how change of one object effects the changes in other surrounding objects.
Ontology, a field of study closely intertwined with metaphysics, is the study of categories of being and how these categories interact with one another. Those who study metaphysics also use cosmology, which is the study of the origin of universe and the earth. In the early days of metaphysics in the 15th and 16th century, it was seen as a branch of science. After the scientific revolution and the creation and practice of the scientific method, many mainstream scientists shunned a lot of metaphysical knowledge because it has little to no evidence and cannot be proved.
A large concept of metaphysics that defines it as separate from other religions or spiritual ideas is the concept of free will. Exemplified in one of the central laws, the Law of Freedom, this law says that free will and choice are central tenants of metaphysics and that each person is responsible for his or her actions in entirety. Determinism is a fancy word for the ability to always use and justify actions through free will. The Law of Freedom was very different from what was typically being talked about through organized religion at the time of its creation in the 16th century. All other religions, such as the English Church, taught that a higher power controlled people’s actions in some way, and that to be properly controlled and rewarded a person needed to be part of the church. Metaphysics totally destroyed that notion with their insistence in free will.
From a purely scientific perspective, metaphysics studies how negative energy or thoughts effect the environment. Healers look at how to get rid of illness through positive thinking and changing thinking patterns, and on how to improve health through creating positive energy. Those who study metaphysics as a science are usually interested in physics and the exploration of space. The study of particulars, objects that are tangible and can be touch or seen, looks at these objects and their relationship to the world around them and what makes up the object. This study is very scientific and some of the information found through the early days of studying metaphysics are now the building blocks of many modern scientific fields of study.
From a spiritual standpoint, metaphysics helps people connect with the Prime Source of the Universe. This is the source of all power and connection within the universe and is sometimes casually referred to as nature. Spiritual healing is a huge part of metaphysical spirituality. Those who practice metaphysics look at human beings and their relationships to one another, as well as their relationships to nature, and try to learn from studying how to act in a positive manner.
Metaphysical spirituality sometimes includes working with shamans or attempting to connect with a different plane of existence. People who practice or study metaphysics try to keep positive thought patterns and send good energy into the world because they believe that that is how they can help improve the world.
Overall, metaphysics is more than just a study of one idea or concept, but rather the study of how different ideas or concepts intertwine and overlap with one another. People who study metaphysics look at networks and how they impact the world.