Metaphysics

    The gods too are fond of a joke.

    - Aristotle


     

  • Aristotle's metaphysics deals with the nature of ultimate reality.
  • He believed that everything has to be either in some basic category, a substance or object, a quantity, or a quality.
  • Metaphysics can be separated into two categories.

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    • Ontology is concerned with the quantity of entities that make up the universe.
    • Metaphysics proper deals with describing what he thought to be the general traits of reality. He saw these traits as the definition of reality and therefore would be the same everywhere, in any universe.
  • Aristotle believed there to be a Prime Mover responsible for the purposefulness of nature.
    • This Prime Mover is perfect and all in this universe desire to be such.
    • There were other movers of the planets and stars that were also suggested to exist.
    • Theologians have determined Aristotle's Prime Mover as unsuitable for religious purposes. He limited his beliefs to what fit in with his beliefs in science.