Metaphysics: The Philosophy That Studies the Basic Structure of Reality

At its core, metaphysics asks: What is there? What is it like? How do things exist, and what is the nature of their existence? These questions are timeless, and their answers have evolved over centuries, often influencing or being influenced by developments in other branches of philosophy, science, and theology. In examining the nature of reality, metaphysicians delve into topics like the nature of objects and their properties, the concept of identity and change, the structure of time and space, and the possibility of alternate realities.

The scope of metaphysical inquiry is vast. One of the primary areas it addresses is ontology, which concerns the study of being and existence. Ontological questions include inquiries into the types of entities that exist, whether abstract entities (like numbers or concepts) exist independently of human thought, and whether the universe is fundamentally composed of matter or something more fundamental, like energy or consciousness.