Philosophy: Word of the day. How would you define metaphysics to a seven year old?

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I would tell a 7 year old that metaphysics is a big word used by some people called philosophers to try to describe the theories of the world and why we are here.
 
Physics is the study of the physical world - all the stuff the world is made of (matter and energy) - and how the stuff interacts with other stuff - i.e. why do things fall down? Why does water become ice? Why do things burn? etc.

Metaphysics is the study of ideas that affect our relations with other people. What is love, fairness, courage, virtue, etc. A big part of metaphysics deals with our relationship with the original person, God.
 
JohnAlexander said:
Physics is the study of the physical world - all the stuff the world is made of (matter and energy) - and how the stuff interacts with other stuff - i.e. why do things fall down? Why does water become ice? Why do things burn? etc.

Metaphysics is the study of ideas that affect our relations with other people. What is love, fairness, courage, virtue, etc. A big part of metaphysics deals with our relationship with the original person, God.
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Metaphysics is first and foremost the study of being as being, It is the study of reality in its most general conception abstracted from the particularities of nature through which we perceive being. For example, science studies the particular behaviors and kinds of atoms, while metaphysics is concerned with the general fact that things are motion, have potentiality, have distinctions, and have an act of being. Metaphysics deals with knowledge in its most certain form; for example, we know and have metaphysical certainty that things are changing, however we don’t necessarily know what is changing, and it is when we start asking “what is changing” that we must consult the sciences. Metaphysics is the theory of form, essence and substance and accident, while science is concerned with establishing the existence of particular kinds of nature such as quarks or forces and making categorical distinctions.
 
Thank you Catholic90, JohnAlexander and MindOverMatter2 for your comments.

What do you think about the response of a youngster over here who responded metaphysics is the study of the thinking of the physical? 🙂

I would say that metaphysics is the study of the nature of existence and ontology is one of the branches of of metaphysics which focuses on the nature of being? What do you think MOM2?🙂

Wow, I was just reading the wiki article on metaphycics and I love how they note that science is a child of philosophy. Metaphysics is considered a superior form of studying than science and science a preparation for metaphysics. Pretty cool. :cool:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysics
 
I find metaphysics a difficult one to define.

Take a look at this:

In philosophy, the philosophy of physics studies the fundamental philosophical questions underlying modern physics, the study of matter and energy and how they interact. The philosophy of physics begins by reflecting on the basic metaphysical and epistemological questions posed by physics: causality, determinism, and the nature of physical law. It then turns to questions raised by important topics in contemporary physics:
Physical cosmology: space, time, the origin and ultimate fate of the universe;
Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics: energy, work, randomness, information;
Quantum mechanics: the rival interpretations thereof, and its counterintuitive conclusions.
Centuries ago, the study of causality, and of the fundamental nature of space, time, matter, and the universe were part of metaphysics. Today the philosophy of physics is essentially a part of the philosophy of science.

So, how do we distinguish the philosophy of science from metaphysics?:confused:
 
Abba said:
So, how do we distinguish the philosophy of science from metaphysics?:confused:
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Metaphysics is the study of being as being.

One could study something in metaphysics without studying something in the philosophy of science. One could not study something in philosophy of science that didn’t have presuppositions that are dealt with in metaphysics.

Ask the child why does something exist rather than nothing. And then point out they are now engaged in metaphysics. The common definition will probably not make much sense to them.
 
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