What is Metaphysics?

In Western philosophy, metaphysics has become the study of the fundamental nature of all reality what is it, why is it, and how are we can understand it. Some treat metaphysics as the study of higher reality or the invisible nature behind everything, but that isnt true. It is, instead, the study of all of reality, visible and invisible; and what constitutes reality, natural and supernatural. Because most of the debates between atheists and theists involve disagreements over the nature of reality and the existence of anything supernatural, the debates are often disagreements over metaphysics.

Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the nature of the world. It is the study of being or reality.[1] It addresses questions such as: What is the nature of reality? Is there a God? What is man's place in theuniverse? A central branch of metaphysics is ontology, the investigation into whatcategories of things are in the world and what relations these things bear to one another. The metaphysician also attempts to clarify the notions by which people understand the world, including existence, objecthood, property, space, time, causality, and possibility. More recently, the term "metaphysics" has also been used to refer to "subjects which are beyond the physical world". A "metaphysical bookstore," for instance, is not one that sells books on ontology, but rather one that sells books on spirits, faith healing, crystal power, occultism, and other such topics. This meaning is not recognized in academic philosophy.

Metaphysics is one of the branches of philosophy that wrestles with the question of reality in the known and the unknown worlds. An Idealist finds reality in the unknown world through ideas in his mind; a realist finds reality in the known world through his senses. You can reach a better understanding of idealism by contrasting idealism with realism. Read more: Educational Implications of Idealism | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8715807_educationalimplications-idealism.html#ixzz1z3YRayPu
Where does the Term Metaphysics Come From?:

The term metaphysics is derived from the Greek Ta Meta ta Physkia which means the books after the books on nature. When a librarian was cataloging Aristotles works, he did not have a title for the material he wanted to shelve after the material called nature (Physkia) so he called it after nature. Originally, this wasnt even a subject at all it was a collection of notes on different topics, but specifically topics removed from normal sense perception and empirical observation.

Etymology
The word "metaphysics" derives from the Greek words (met) ("beyond", "upon" or "after") [7] and (physik) ("physics"). It was first used as the title for several of Aristotle's works, because

they were usually anthologized after the works on physics in complete editions. The prefix meta("beyond") indicates that these works come "after" the chapters on physics. However, Aristotle himself did not call the subject of these books "Metaphysics": he referred to it as "first philosophy." The editor of Aristotle's works, Andronicus of Rhodes, is thought to have placed the books on first philosophy right after another work, Physics, and called them (ta meta ta physika biblia) or "the books that come after the [books on] physics". This was misread by Latin scholiasts, who thought it meant "the science of what is beyond the physical." However, once the name was given, the commentators sought to find intrinsic reasons for its appropriateness. For instance, it was understood to mean "the science of the world beyond nature (phusis in Greek)," that is, the science of the immaterial. Again, it was understood to refer to the chronological or pedagogical order among our philosophical studies, so that the "metaphysical sciences would mean, those that we study after having mastered the sciences that deal with the physical world" (St. Thomas Aquinas, "In Lib, Boeth. de Trin.", V, 1). There is a widespread use of the term in current popular literature, which replicates this error, i.e. that metaphysical means spiritual non-physical: thus, "metaphysical healing" means healing by means of [8] remedies that are not physical.

Questions Asked in Metaphysics:

What is out there? What is reality? Does Free Will exist? Is there such a process as cause and effect? Do abstract concepts (like numbers) really exist? Branches of Metaphysics:

Aristotles book on metaphysics was divided into three sections: ontology, theology, and universal science. Because of this, those are the three traditional branches of metaphysical inquiry. Ontology is the branch of philosophy which deals with the study of the nature of reality: what is it, how many realities are there, what are its properties, etc. The word is derived from the Greek terms on, which means reality and logos, which means study of. Atheists generally believe that there is a single reality which is material and natural in nature. Theology, of course, is the study of gods does a god exist, what a god is, what a god wants, etc. Every religion has its own theology because its study of gods, if it includes any gods, will proceed from specific doctrines and traditions which vary from one religion to the next. Since atheists don't accept the existence of any gods, they don't accept that theology is the study of anything real. At most, it might be the study of what people think is real and atheist involvement in theology proceeds more from the perspective of a critical outsider rather than an involved member.

The branch of universal science is a bit harder to understand, but it involves the search for first principles things like the origin of the universe, fundamental laws of logic and reasoning, etc. For theists, the answer to this is almost always "god" and, moreover, they tend to argue that there can be no other possible answer. Some even go far as to argue that the existence of things like logic and the universe constitute evidence of the existence of their god.

Aristotle's Metaphysics was divided into three parts, which are now regarded as the proper branches of traditional Western metaphysics: Ontology The study of being and existence; includes the definition and classification of entities, physical or mental, the nature of their properties, and the nature of change. Natural Theology The study of a God or Gods; involves many topics, including among others the nature of religion and the world, existence of the divine, questions about Creation, and the numerous religious or spiritualissues that concern humankind in general. Universal science The study of first principles, such as the law of noncontradiction, which Aristotle believed were the foundation of all other inquiries. Universal science or first philosophy treats of "being qua being"that is, what is basic to all science before one adds the particular details of any one science. Essentially "being qua being" may be translated as "being insofar as being goes" or as "being in terms of being." This includes topics such as causality, substance, species and elements, as well as the notions of relation, interaction, and finitude. The Metaphysics was divided into three parts, now regarded as the traditional branches of Western metaphysics, called (1) ontology, (2) theology and (3) universal science. There were also some smaller, perhaps tangential matters: a philosophical lexicon, an attempt to define philosophy in general and several extracts from the Physicsrepeated verbatim. Ontology is the study of existence: the definition of entities and classes of entities, such as physical or mental entities; the nature of the properties of entities; and the nature of change. Theology is the study of God (or the gods) and of questions about the divine. Universal science is the study of first principles, which Aristotle believed underlie all other inquiries. An example of such a principle is the law of non-contradiction: A = A, A B, Not both A and B.

Implication

man is distinct in kind human nature is physically-spiritually assert human nature is unchanging human beings must remain free of external restraints in decision making the fundamental subjects of r's (read, write, reasoning, right conduct, arithmetic) the curriculum designed to liberate the mind of man is superior to vocational and professional courses human must be free from invested interest

Educational Idealism

Idealistic viewpoints are found in subjects such as fine arts, classic humanities, theology, philosophy, history and literature. These subjects emphasize intellectual processes and acuity of the mind. They form a major part of liberal arts curricula, which dwell on cultural concerns above those of a utilitarian nature. The implication in education holds that students will tend to choose classes that appeal to their intellects. Taken to an extreme, an idealist will not be attracted to sign up for a particular major course just to find a job to earn a living or be interested in any ambitious undertaking to acquire wealth and power.

Educational Realism

Realism has had a dominant effect in modern education. Its contribution to science and technology is enormous and is important in economic competition between the United States and countries of the world. Realists promote such subjects as mathematics, science and logic in which knowledge gained is essential in the objectivity of science. Any meaning in life is not permanent but becomes transient in the light of new knowledge.

Contribution of Idealism to Education

Idealism has had great influence in education. Study in the arts reveal a bit of ultimate reality and promotes the quality of life as no other area can. It draws attention to truths that do not change; through religious study, idealism can bring a meaning to existence on Earth that remains permanent. It addresses the reality of intangible things that are experienced but cannot be seen, such as, love, trust, hope and faith. Even though they may not be equally represented, both idealistic and realistic philosophies are generally recognized in school curricula.

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