Beyond (and Before) Reality — Introduction to Issue 4: Metaphysics
Metaphysics — literally “beyond physics” — is the study of the fundamentals of reality, covering a broad swathe of issues ranging from existence and reality, to consciousness and free will. It is often considered the first field of philosophy, and thus its importance cannot be overstated in shaping thousands of years of philosophical inquiry.
The first philosophers — called the “pre-Socratics” for their place in the timeline— were metaphysicists, writing at a time where even statements like “What is the universe made out of?” were novel questions to ponder. Thales of Miletus, considered the father of Greek philosophy, was the first to make claims about the universe that didn’t rely on the mythology of gods. He believed all nature and the matter which composed it originated from a single substance: water. Another pre-Socratic, the famous mathematician Pythagoras, believed that the universe was reliant on fundamental integer ratios, corresponding to inaudible musical notes composed of planets and stars. Though the specific claims of these philosophers are no longer debated for their factual legitimacy, these first works of Metaphysics have directly laid the groundwork for every other philosopher in the western canon, whether in Plato’s Timaeus or Bertrand Russell’s Wisdom of the West.
And despite its humble origins in the minds of the first philosophers, in the 21st century metaphysics is being studied and applied with just as much fervor. Philosophers and psychologists are collaborating to create experiments to understand free will in the mind, while developments in physics, whether by universe or by subatomic particles, come hand-in-hand with questions on the metaphysical nature of our world. All this to say, so long as there is something, there will be questions about what it is.
Therefore, it’s unsurprising that the articles for this issue cover a wide breadth of topics that all fall under the metaphysics umbrella. One essay deals with the nature of time, using Kant’s phenomena-noumena distinction to declare that time is the form of “the inner sense”, and non-existent outside of being a creation of our mind. Another questions existence and its origins, listing potential reasons and purposes for our universe and the fundamental fact that it exists. Following this, a more personal article discusses our individual existences, scrutinizing our humanity and how maintaining it is contingent on our capability for empathy and care. Finally, free will is critiqued as an illusion for what is really a series of non-voluntary actions that make up our life.
We hope that you enjoy these articles, and through them develop a better understanding into one of the most fascinating subfields in philosophy and the amazing articles written about it.