Free Printable Worksheets for learning Metaphysics at the College level

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Metaphysics

Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the study of ultimate reality, the nature of existence, and the relationship between mind and matter. It is concerned with questions about the nature of reality beyond the physical world and includes topics such as causality, time, space, and free will.

Key Concepts

Ontology: The study of being and existence, focusing on the nature of reality and what entities exist.
Epistemology: The study of knowledge and belief, focusing on how we come to know what we know and the nature of truth.
Cosmology: The study of the origin, evolution, and structure of the universe, including questions about the nature of time and space.
Metaphysical Dualism: The belief that there are two distinct types of reality, such as mind and matter.
Metaphysical Monism: The belief that there is only one type of reality, such as physical matter or consciousness.
Causation: The relationship between cause and effect, and the study of how events are related in the world.
Free Will: The ability of individuals to make choices independent of external factors.
Determinism: The belief that all events are ultimately determined by preceding causes.

Key Thinkers

Plato: His work, The Republic, explores the relationship between reality and perception and the idea of forms or abstract entities underlying physical objects.
Aristotle: He developed a metaphysics of substance, which explores the nature of change and causality.
Descartes: His work, Meditations on First Philosophy, introduced the idea of mind-body dualism and the separation of mind and body as two distinct substances.
Leibniz: He developed the idea of monads, indivisible units of reality that make up the universe.
Kant: He developed the idea of transcendental idealism, which examines the conditions necessary for knowledge to be possible.

Important Information

Metaphysics is concerned with questions about the nature of reality beyond the physical world.
It includes topics such as ontology, epistemology, cosmology, and causation.
Key metaphysical concepts include free will, determinism, dualism, and monism.
Key metaphysical thinkers include Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Leibniz, and Kant.

Takeaways

Metaphysics is a philosophical branch that explores the nature of reality.
Key concepts include ontology, epistemology, and causation.
Metaphysical thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle have made significant contributions to this field.
Important metaphysical concepts include free will and determinism, dualism, and monism.

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Word	Definition
Metaphysics	The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of existence, reality, and the nature of things beyond the physical
Epistemology	The study of knowledge and belief
Axiom	A statement or proposition that is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true
Ontology	A branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature of existence or being
Dualism	The belief that the mind and body are separate entities
Monism	The belief that everything in the universe is ultimately of one substance or nature
Existential	Relating to existence
Teleology	The study of purpose or design in nature or the universe
Paradigm	A typical example or pattern of something; a model
Deontology	The study of moral obligation
Determinism	The belief that all events, including human actions, are ultimately determined by causes exterior to the will
Causality	The relationship between cause and effect
Cosmology	The study of the universe
Transcendent	Beyond or above the range of normal or physical human experience
Metaphor	A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable
Phenomenology	The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of consciousness and the objects of direct experience
Eschatology	The study of the end of the world or the ultimate destiny of humankind
Nihilism	The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless
Existentialism	A philosophy that emphasizes individualism and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world
Solipsism	The belief that the self is the only reality

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Study Guide: Metaphysics

Introduction

Metaphysics is a branch of Philosophy that deals with the study of existence, reality, causality, and essence. It tries to answer fundamental questions about the nature of reality, including questions about existence, identity, time, space, causality, and possibility.

Branches and Approaches to Metaphysics

Ontology

Ontology is the study of being or existence. It deals with the nature of things that exist and asks questions about what exists, what kinds of things exist, and how they exist.

Epistemology

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. It deals with the nature of knowledge and the ways in which we acquire knowledge about the world.

Cosmology

Cosmology is the study of the nature of the universe, including questions about its origin, composition, and structure.

Metaphysical Approaches

Metaphysical approaches include:

Realism: The view that the external world exists independently of our perception and that there are objective facts about the world that we can discover.
Idealism: The view that reality is ultimately mental or spiritual in nature, and that the external world is a product of the mind or consciousness.
Nominalism: The view that individuals have no essential properties or natures, and that the categories, classes, or kinds we use to understand the world are merely names or labels we apply for convenience.
Dualism: The view that reality consists of two fundamentally different substances, such as mind and matter.
Monism: The view that there is only one fundamental substance or principle that underlies all of reality.

Key Concepts and Topics

Existence

What does it mean to exist? What kinds of things exist? Can things that don't exist in reality exist in our imagination or as concepts?

Identity

What makes an object the same over time? Can an object change and yet remain the same? Do objects have an essence or nature that defines them?

Time and Space

What is the nature of time and space? Are they absolute or relative? Can time travel be possible?

Causality

What is the relationship between cause and effect? How does causation work? Are there necessary and sufficient conditions for causation?

Possibility and Necessity

What things are possible and what things are necessary? Can there be different possible worlds that are as real as our own?

Conclusion

Metaphysics poses some of the most basic and profound questions that we can ask about the world and ourselves. It is a fascinating and challenging field of study that invites us to question our assumptions and to explore the nature of reality.

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Metaphysics Practice Sheet

Answer the following short answer questions:

What is the difference between substance and property in metaphysics?
Explain the concept of causality and how it relates to metaphysics.
Describe the difference between realism and idealism in metaphysics.
What is the principle of non-contradiction and how does it apply to metaphysics?
Explain the concept of free will and how it relates to metaphysics.
What is the difference between monism and dualism in metaphysics?
Describe the concept of identity and how it relates to metaphysics.
What is the difference between essentialism and existentialism in metaphysics?
Explain the concept of time and how it relates to metaphysics.
Describe the difference between materialism and immaterialism in metaphysics.

Essay questions:

Argue for or against the concept of determinism in metaphysics.
Evaluate the argument for or against the existence of God in metaphysics.
Critically examine the idea of mind-body dualism in metaphysics.

Extra credit:

Create your own metaphysical theory and explain its philosophical implications.
Analyze the metaphysical themes in a piece of literature or movie.

Sample Metaphysics Practice Problem

Consider the following statement:

The universe is composed of physical matter and energy.

Analyze this statement from a metaphysical perspective.

This statement is based on the assumption that the universe is composed only of physical matter and energy. This is a materialistic view of the universe, which is a metaphysical concept. This view assumes that all phenomena can be explained by physical laws and that there is no supernatural or spiritual element to the universe. This view is in contrast to other metaphysical views, such as idealism, which holds that the universe is composed of ideas or spiritual forces.

Metaphysics Practice Sheet

What is the difference between ontology and epistemology?
Define the term causality.
What is the difference between a priori and a posteriori knowledge?
How does the concept of free will relate to metaphysics?
What is the difference between substance and attribute?
What is the concept of identity?
What is the concept of modality?
What is the concept of essence?
What is the difference between necessary and contingent truths?
What is the concept of universals?

Here's some sample Metaphysics quizzes Sign in to generate your own quiz worksheet.

Problem	Answer
What is the branch of metaphysics that deals with the fundamental nature of reality and existence?	Ontology
According to Aristotle, what is the first cause of everything?	Prime Mover
What is the term that refers to the belief that there is no ultimate meaning or purpose in life?	Nihilism
What is the philosophical doctrine that everything that exists or occurs is causally determined by prior events or states of affairs?	Determinism
In metaphysics, what is the opposite of monism?	Dualism
Who is the philosopher who discussed the concept of the veil of perception?	G.E. Moore
What is the term used to describe the belief that knowledge is not based on experience but instead arises from innate ideas within the mind?	Rationalism
According to Immanuel Kant, what are the a priori categories of the understanding?	Quantity, quality, relation, and modality
What is the term used to describe the philosophical position that reality can only be known through the senses?	Empiricism
What is the paradox that arises when a single grain of sand is added to another, and another, and so on until the addition of a single grain no longer makes a pile?	Sorites Paradox

Problem	Answer
What is metaphysics?	Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and accident, events and causation, and possible worlds and their properties.
What is the purpose of metaphysics?	The purpose of metaphysics is to explore the fundamental questions of existence and knowledge, such as the nature of being, the nature of truth, and the nature of the universe.
What is the difference between ontology and epistemology?	Ontology is the study of the nature of being, while epistemology is the study of the nature of knowledge.
What is the difference between a priori and a posteriori knowledge?	A priori knowledge is knowledge that is independent of experience, while a posteriori knowledge is knowledge that is based on experience.
What is the difference between substance and accident?	Substance is the underlying reality of a thing, while accident is any property or quality that is not essential to the thing.
What is the difference between realism and idealism?	Realism is the belief that reality exists independently of the mind, while idealism is the belief that reality is dependent on the mind.
What is the difference between determinism and indeterminism?	Determinism is the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable, while indeterminism is the belief that some events are not predetermined and are not inevitable.
What is the difference between monism and dualism?	Monism is the belief that there is only one type of substance in the universe, while dualism is the belief that there are two types of substance in the universe.
What is the difference between essentialism and nominalism?	Essentialism is the belief that there are essential properties of a thing that make it what it is, while nominalism is the belief that there are no essential properties of a thing, and that its identity is determined by the name given to it.
What is the difference between naturalism and supernaturalism?	Naturalism is the belief that the natural world is all that exists, while supernaturalism is the belief that there is more to the universe than just the natural world.

Metaphysics Quiz

Question	Answer
What is metaphysics?	Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of being, existence, and reality.
What is the difference between metaphysics and ontology?	Metaphysics is the study of the fundamental nature of reality, and ontology is the study of being and existence.
What is the principle of sufficient reason?	The principle of sufficient reason states that everything must have a sufficient reason for its existence or for its occurrence.
What is the difference between idealism and realism?	Idealism is the belief that reality is composed of mental or spiritual entities, while realism is the belief that reality is composed of physical objects.
What is the concept of causality?	Causality is the concept that events are caused by other events, and that events have causes.
What is the concept of determinism?	Determinism is the belief that all events are determined by prior events and conditions, and that all events are predetermined and inevitable.
What is the difference between substance and attribute?	A substance is a thing that exists independently, while an attribute is a property of a substance.
What is the concept of identity?	Identity is the concept that an object or person is the same over time and in different contexts.
What is the concept of time?	Time is the concept that events occur in a sequence, and that the past, present, and future are distinct.
What is the concept of space?	Space is the concept that objects exist in three-dimensional space, and that objects can be located in relation to each other.