- Metaphysics is the study of the science of being and the deep down causes of things
- It involves considering the existence, properties, and relations of beings in the world
- St. Thomas Aquinas identifies fundamental distinctions between different substances and their properties
- The study of metaphysics also involves considering what unites all beings and the transcendentals of being, unity, truth, goodness, and beauty
- Metaphysics explores questions about the nature of reality, the existence of evil, and the relationship between beings and God as the primary cause of everything
- St. Thomas Aquinas is a recommended guide for studying metaphysics.

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The object of metaphysics is being itself.

Everything that has being is in some way one and unified, true or intelligible, good and thus desirable, beautiful and therefore pleasing. At this point, when you’ve begun thinking why that might be the case, you’ve arrived; you’re doing metaphysics.

Being and Metaphysics (Aquinas 101) - Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

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In every age, human beings try to order their thinking about the question, what is ultimately real?

How do we explain what the world consists of?

You might say this is a question about what are the deep down causes of things.

And the investigation is traditionally called metaphysics.

It's an odd title, but it's not a difficult idea to understand.

Metaphysics is just the study of the science of being, of that which exists, insofar as it exists.

You might say that metaphysics is a structured way of thinking about the most fundamental explanations of the world that we encounter.

When Aquinas defines metaphysics, he says that its object of study is the causes of existence in things.

In metaphysics, we consider the beings of this world, their natures, their properties, material constitution, the changes they're submitted to, their contingency, their relations that obtain within and among them, and we consider why various things exist from every angle.

Do you and I exist because of our material bodies?

Or do we exist because we have living souls?

Do we exist because we were begotten by our parents?

Or do we exist due to the dependence we have on the larger physical cosmos?

Or do we exist because of the creation of God sustaining all things in being?

Or is it due to all of the above but in a given order?

And if so, how do we order those explanations?

But what about the basic starting points?

When beginning to consider what being is, St.

Thomas identifies certain fundamental distinctions we should make.

First, we can discern the differences that obtain between different kinds of natural substances around us.

How are they distinguished from 1 another?

A human being, for example, is very different from a kangaroo.

We distinguish them by their different properties, which we can analyze philosophically.

Both are animals and mammals and have complex sense organs.

So they're living things, They're sentient living things, and they have all kinds of mobile properties that are similar.

But human beings are rational animals who think, make decisions, use language and tools, while kangaroos do not do any of those things.

Now, other properties they do sort of share, but also are distinguished by, just at the level of animality.

So for example, kangaroos nurture their young in a pouch after birth, but human beings do not.

So these kinds of properties reveal characteristics of the various natures of things and they tell us something about what those things are, their essences, and therefore why they exist or how they exist.

This is a first kind of way of proceeding into metaphysics.

We can study the distinctions of the various substances we encounter and their properties philosophically.

But having distinguished substances, we can then go on to consider what unites them or what they all have in common.

What is it that's properly basic or common to all kinds of beings no matter how different they are?

We might talk about dimensions of being that are common to human beings, kangaroos, trees, stars, stones, and artifacts.

So here's where we enter into the study of what Aquinas calls the transcendentals.

Being, unity, truth, goodness, and beauty.

Everything that exists has being in some way and is unified, true, or intelligible, good, and thus desirable or pleasing, and beautiful.

It has a certain kind of splendor or harmony to it.

At this point we can begin asking more ultimate questions.

Is this world of interdependent beings that we experience 1 reality or multiple realities that form a kind of unity?

Is the cosmos that exists around us and the things that are in it good in some objective sense?

And if so, are there degrees and kinds of goodness in the things around us?

And if so, what is evil and how do we explain the existence of evil?

Meanwhile, what is beauty and is it merely subjective or are the things of this world truly beautiful due to the harmonies internal to them and the order within them?

Does the world of finite interdependent beings ultimately depend upon a primary cause we call God who gives being to all things?

And if so how do being and unity, goodness and beauty and truth all relate back to God as the cause of everything that exists.

For Aquinas, metaphysicians endeavor to study the things of this world by an honest and critical appraisal, and in so doing, they're led to consider reality in relation to God as the cause of existence for everything that is.

When you've begun thinking about the kinds of questions I've just raised, you're doing metaphysics.

Thomas is a great guide for this kind of study.

For readings, podcasts, and more videos like this, go to Aquinas101.com.

While you're there, be sure to sign up for 1 of our free video courses on Aquinas.

And don't forget to like and share with your friends, because it matters what You


Speaker 0: In every age, human beings try to order their thinking about the question, what is ultimately real? How do we explain what the world consists of? You might say this is a question about what are the deep down causes of things. And the investigation is traditionally called metaphysics. It's an odd title, but it's not a difficult idea to understand.

Metaphysics is just the study of the science of being, of that which exists, insofar as it exists. You might say that metaphysics is a structured way of thinking about the most fundamental explanations of the world that we encounter. When Aquinas defines metaphysics, he says that its object of study is the causes of existence in things. Why do things exist? In metaphysics, we consider the beings of this world, their natures, their properties, material constitution, the changes they're submitted to, their contingency, their relations that obtain within and among them, and we consider why various things exist from every angle.

Do you and I exist because of our material bodies? Or do we exist because we have living souls? Do we exist because we were begotten by our parents? Or do we exist due to the dependence we have on the larger physical cosmos? Or do we exist because of the creation of God sustaining all things in being?

Or is it due to all of the above but in a given order? And if so, how do we order those explanations? That gives you an idea of the overview. But what about the basic starting points? When beginning to consider what being is, St.

Thomas identifies certain fundamental distinctions we should make. First, we can discern the differences that obtain between different kinds of natural substances around us. How are they distinguished from 1 another? A human being, for example, is very different from a kangaroo. We distinguish them by their different properties, which we can analyze philosophically.

Both are animals and mammals and have complex sense organs. So they're living things, They're sentient living things, and they have all kinds of mobile properties that are similar. But human beings are rational animals who think, make decisions, use language and tools, while kangaroos do not do any of those things. Now, other properties they do sort of share, but also are distinguished by, just at the level of animality. So for example, kangaroos nurture their young in a pouch after birth, but human beings do not.

So these kinds of properties reveal characteristics of the various natures of things and they tell us something about what those things are, their essences, and therefore why they exist or how they exist. This is a first kind of way of proceeding into metaphysics. We can study the distinctions of the various substances we encounter and their properties philosophically. But having distinguished substances, we can then go on to consider what unites them or what they all have in common. What is it that's properly basic or common to all kinds of beings no matter how different they are?

We might talk about dimensions of being that are common to human beings, kangaroos, trees, stars, stones, and artifacts. So here's where we enter into the study of what Aquinas calls the transcendentals. Being, unity, truth, goodness, and beauty. Everything that exists has being in some way and is unified, true, or intelligible, good, and thus desirable or pleasing, and beautiful. It has a certain kind of splendor or harmony to it.

At this point we can begin asking more ultimate questions. Is this world of interdependent beings that we experience 1 reality or multiple realities that form a kind of unity? Is the cosmos that exists around us and the things that are in it good in some objective sense? And if so, are there degrees and kinds of goodness in the things around us? And if so, what is evil and how do we explain the existence of evil?

Meanwhile, what is beauty and is it merely subjective or are the things of this world truly beautiful due to the harmonies internal to them and the order within them? Does the world of finite interdependent beings ultimately depend upon a primary cause we call God who gives being to all things? And if so how do being and unity, goodness and beauty and truth all relate back to God as the cause of everything that exists. For Aquinas, metaphysicians endeavor to study the things of this world by an honest and critical appraisal, and in so doing, they're led to consider reality in relation to God as the cause of existence for everything that is. When you've begun thinking about the kinds of questions I've just raised, you're doing metaphysics.

You've arrived, or you've started. And St. Thomas is a great guide for this kind of study. For readings, podcasts, and more videos like this, go to Aquinas101.com. While you're there, be sure to sign up for 1 of our free video courses on Aquinas.

And don't forget to like and share with your friends, because it matters what You

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Being and Metaphysics (Aquinas 101)