Wikipedia:Today's featured article/February 1, 2025
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. Some philosophers designate metaphysics as the first philosophy, to suggest that it is more fundamental than other forms of philosophical inquiry. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the fundamental categories of human understanding. Metaphysics investigates the nature of existence, the features all entities have in common, and their division into categories of being. An influential division is between particulars and universals. Modal metaphysics examines what it means for something to be possible or necessary. Metaphysicians also explore the concepts of space, time, and change, and their connection to causality and the laws of nature. Other topics include how mind and matter are related, whether everything in the world is predetermined, and whether there is free will. In the 20th century, traditional metaphysics in general and idealism in particular faced various criticisms, which prompted new approaches to metaphysical inquiry. (Full article...)