Metaphysics Fundamentals

Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, and potentiality and actuality.
It is concerned with questions about the fundamental nature of existence, time, space, causation, and the ultimate nature of reality.

Ontology: the study of existence, being, and reality, including the nature of entities, properties, and relations.
Cosmology: the study of the origin, structure, and fate of the universe.
Philosophy of Time: the study of the nature of time, including its relation to change, causation, and the human experience.

Substance: a thing that exists independently, having properties and attributes.
Attribute: a property or quality of a substance.
Potentiality: the capacity or possibility of something to become actual.
Actuality: the realization or fulfillment of a potentiality.

Materialism: the theory that physical matter is the only fundamental substance in the universe.
Idealism: the theory that mind or consciousness is the fundamental substance in the universe.
Dualism: the theory that both mind and matter are fundamental substances in the universe.
Monism: the theory that there is only one fundamental substance or principle in the universe.

Plato: developed the theory of forms, which posits that abstract concepts are more fundamental than physical reality.
Aristotle: developed the concept of substance and potentiality, and argued for a form of hylomorphism (matter-form dualism).
Immanuel Kant: developed the concept of the "noumenon" (the thing in itself), which is independent of human perception.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: developed the theory of monadology, which posits that the universe is composed of simple, indivisible units called monads.

Metaphysics explores the nature of reality, including the relationships between mind and matter, substance and attribute, and potentiality and actuality.
It focuses on questions about the fundamental nature of existence, time, space, causation, and the ultimate nature of reality.

Ontology studies existence, being, and reality, including the nature of entities, properties, and relations.
Cosmology explores the origin, structure, and fate of the universe.
Philosophy of Time examines the nature of time, including its relation to change, causation, and the human experience.

Plato: developed the theory of forms, which posits that abstract concepts are more fundamental than physical reality.
Aristotle: developed the concept of substance and potentiality, and argued for a form of hylomorphism (matter-form dualism).
Immanuel Kant: developed the concept of the "noumenon" (the thing in itself), which is independent of human perception.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: developed the theory of monadology, which posits that the universe is composed of simple, indivisible units called monads.

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