Metaphysics, a fundamental branch of philosophy, examines the basic structure of reality.
Often considered the "first philosophy," it explores mind-independent features of the world and the conceptual schemes underlying human thought and experience.
Metaphysics investigates broad topics such as the nature of existence, common features of entities, and their categorization. It addresses the contrast between particulars and universals, explores modal concepts of possibility and necessity, and examines the nature of space, time, and change.
Metaphysicians employ various methods in their inquiry, including rational intuition, abstract reasoning, and more recently, empirical approaches from scientific theories.
The field covers diverse topics such as the relationship between mind and matter, determinism, and free will. While metaphysics differs from individual sciences by studying general and abstract aspects of reality, it faces criticism regarding the reliability of its methods and the meaningfulness of its theories. Despite this, metaphysics remains relevant to many fields of inquiry that often rely on metaphysical concepts and assumptions.