Metaphysics
Philosophies traditionally start with metaphysics, a theory of :
1) the essence of things,
2) the fundamental principles that organise the universe.
Metaphysics is supposed to answer the question:
"What is the nature of reality?"
Metaphysics is traditionally subdivided in -
ontology, the theory of being in itself and
cosmology, the theory describing the origin and structure of the universe.
'Meta' in Greek means over, and when you jump over something you find yourself behind it in space and after it in time. It is also understood as behind and after.
The word 'metaphysics' is said to originate from the mere fact that the corresponding part of Aristotole's work was positioned right after the part called 'physics'. But it is not unlikely that the term won a ready acceptance as denoting the whole field of knowledge because it conveyed the purpose of metaphysics, which is to reach beyond the nature ('physics') as we perceive it, and to discover the 'true nature' of things, their ultimate essence and the reason for being.
'Meta' in the 20th century, i.e. a meta-theory about another theory, which considered as an object of knowledge:
i) how true it is
ii) how it comes into being
iii) how it is used
iv) how it can be improved, etc
A metaphysician would understand his knowledge as a knowledge about the world, like that of a physicist (scientist, generally), and not as a knowledge about the scientific theories (which is the realm of epostemology).
A meta-language is still a language, and a meta-theory is this a theory. Meta-mathematics is a branch of mathematics - IF SO - metaphysics should take as honourable a place in physics as meta-mathematics in mathematics. BUT - this is very far from being the case. It would be more accurate to describe the situation as exactly opposite. Popularly, metaphysics is considered as something oppoiste to physics, and utterly useless for it because its propositions are mostly unverifiable, if intelligible at all. So it is hardly possible to assign any meaning to them.
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1) Thales taught that everything is water (Aristotle, the major source of Thales's philosophy and science, identified Thales as the first person to investigate the basic principles, the question of the originating substances of matter and, therefore, as the founder of the school of natural philosophy. His questioning approach to the understanding of heavenly phenomena was the beginning of Greek astronomy. Thales's hypotheses were new and bold, and in freeing phenomena from godly intervention, he paved the way towards scientific endeavour.)?
2) The Pythagoreans taught that everything is number. (Pythagoreanism is a term used for the esoteric and metaphysical beliefs held by Pythagoras and his followers, the Pythagoreans, who were much influenced by mathematics and probably a main inspirational source for Plato and Platonism. The Pythagoreans were called mathematikoi, which means "those that study all".)?
3) Hegel taught that everything is a manifestation of teh Absolute Spirit. (Hegel discussed a relation between nature and freedom, immanence and transcendence, and the unification of these dualities without eliminating either pole or reducing it to the other. His influential conceptions are of speculative logic and "dialectic", "absolute idealism", "spirit", the "Master/Slave" dialectic, "ethical life" and the importance of history.)?
4) Schopenhauer taught the world is will and representation. (Arthur Schopenhauer 1788-1960 was a German philosopher who believed that the will to live is the fundamental reality and that this will, being a constant striving, is insatiable and ultimately yields only suffering.)?
ALL THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SCIENCE.
BUT ...
Democritus, and then Epicurus and Lucretius taught that the world is an empty space with atoms moving around in it. In due time this concept gave birth to classical mechanics and physics, which is, unquestionably, science. At the time of its origin, however, it was as pure metaphysics as it could be. The existence of atoms was no more verifiable than that of the Absolute Spirit. Physics started as metaphysics.
This is far from an isolated case.
The meaning of metaphysics is in its potential. I can say that Hegel's Absolute Spirit is meaningless for me, because at the moment I do not see any way how an exact theory can be constructed on this basis. But I canot say that it is meaningless, period. To say that, I would have to prove that nobody will ever be able to translate this concept into a valid scientific theory, and I, obviously, cannot do that.
Metaphysical Counselling and Coaching would be philosophical of nature.
It would entail:
? the discovery of the origin of obstacles in one's life as well as its value
? going beyond the pain and finding the lesson
? looking at life, not only holistically but also laterally
Epicurus said 2000 years ago:
"Empty is the argument of the philosopher that does not relieve any human suffering."
Examples of four Philosophical thinking processes:
1) Challenge beliefs and assumptions and make sure you know what they mean. Then try to form new personal definitions.
2) The therapist discovers the client's subjective meanings by not asking 'why' but rather, 'what', 'when' and 'how'. The clients are afforded the opportunity to work through their issues by describing the experience rather than explaining it.
3) Look at the situation and circumstances from a different angle. Play devils advocate and explore what really matters to you, i.e. losing the contract you have been working so hard for an extended period of time, might offer other scenarios and sometimes better opportunities.
4) Using practical wisdom (the ability to think about how and why we should act in order to change things and our lives for the better) we reflect not only on the goal and how to achieve a certain end but also the ability to reflect upon and determine that end.
The above methods concentrate on the present and the future.
Coaching a client using this method could be valuable for a particular client for whom reason is compelling. These methods of dealing with adverse situations can also be used in other parts of the client's life.
Sources:
http://pespmic1.vub.ac.be?METAPHYS.html
Principia Cybernetica Web - F. Heylighen, C. Joslyn, V. Turchin
http://www.iep.utm.edu/t/thales.htm
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - thales of Miletus (62?-546)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoreans
Pythagoreanism