Branches of metaphysics, Metal Rat 2020, Preview

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to metaphysics:

• Cosmology – a central branch of metaphysics, that studies the origin, fundamental structure, nature, and dynamics of the universe.
  • Physical cosmology – study of the largest-scale structures and dynamics of the Universe and is concerned with fundamental questions about its formation, evolution, and ultimate fate.
    • Big Bang cosmology (standard) – cosmology based on the Big Bang model of the universe. The Big Bang is a theoretical explosion from which all matter in the universe is alleged to have originated approximately 13.799 ± 0.021 billion years ago.
    • Non-standard cosmology – any physical cosmological model of the universe that has been, or still is, proposed as an alternative to the Big Bang model of standard physical cosmology.
      • Plasma cosmology – a non-standard cosmology whose central postulate is that the dynamics of ionized gases and plasmas, rather than gravity, play the dominant roles in the formation, development, and evolution of astronomical bodies and large-scale structures in the universe.
  • Religious cosmology – body of beliefs based on the historical, mythological, religious, and esoteric literature and traditions of creation and eschatology.
    • Biblical cosmology – biblical writers' conception of the Cosmos as an organised, structured entity, including its origin, order, meaning and destiny.[7][8]
    • Buddhist cosmology – description of the shape and evolution of the Universe according to the Buddhist scriptures and commentaries.
    • Hindu cosmology – In Hindu cosmology the universe is cyclically created and destroyed. The Hindu literature, such as Vedas, and Puranas, cite the creation of the universe. They describe the aspects of evolution, astronomy, etc.
    • Jain cosmology – description of the shape and functioning of the physical and metaphysical Universe (loka) and its constituents (such as living beings, matter, space, time etc.) according to Jainism, which includes the canonical Jain texts, commentaries and the writings of the Jain philosopher-monks.
    • Taoist cosmology – cosmology based on the School of Yin Yang which was headed by Zou Yan (305 BC – 240 BC). The school's tenets harmonized the concepts of the Wu Xing (Five Phases) and yin and yang. In this spirit, the universe is seen as being in a constant process of re-creating itself, as everything that exists is a mere aspect of qi, which, "condensed, becomes life; diluted, it is indefinite potential".
  • Esoteric cosmology – cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. Esoteric cosmology maps out the universe with planes of existence and consciousness according to a specific worldview usually from a doctrine.
• Ontology – a central branch of metaphysics. Ontology is the study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and how they relate to each other. In simpler terms, ontology investigates what there is.
  • Mereotopology – deals with the relations among wholes, parts, parts of parts, and the boundaries between parts.
  • Meta-ontology – investigates what we are asking when we ask what there is.
• Philosophy of space and time –
• Universal science –
• Metametaphysics – branch of metaphysics concerned with the foundations of metaphysics (which is concerned primarily with the foundations of reality). It asks: "Do the questions of metaphysics really have answers? If so, are these answers substantive or just a matter of how we use words? And what is the best procedure for arriving at them—common sense? Conceptual analysis? Or assessing competing hypotheses with quasi-scientific criteria?"
• Philosophy of religion –
  • Philosophical theology – branch of theology and metaphysics that uses philosophical methods in developing or analyzing theological concepts.
    • Natural theology – branch of theology and metaphysics the object of which is the nature of the gods, or of the one supreme God. In monotheistic religions, this principally involves arguments about the attributes or non-attributes of God, and especially the existence of God - arguments which are purely philosophical, and do not involve recourse to any supernatural revelation.
  • Religious metaphysics
    • Sufi metaphysics
      • Al Akbariyya – branch of Sufi metaphysics based on Andalusian Sufi gnostic and philosopher Ibn Arabi's teaching.
• Noetic theory –

What is Metaphysics? - Gentleman Thinker

Preview of 2020 the Year of the Metal Rat