Introduction
Although Aristotle did not use the term “metaphysics,” his works on abstract subjects—most notably substance theory, the different kinds of causation, form and matter, the existence of mathematical objects, and the cosmos—were later compiled into a branch of philosophy known as metaphysics.
Q1: What is metaphysics?
Answer
literally, “metaphysics” means “after physics” or “beyond nature.” The term comes from the Greek meta ta physika (“the works after the Physics”). It refers to Aristotle’s writings that deal with fundamental questions about reality—existence, being, time, and space—exploring what lies beyond sense perception.
As a branch of philosophy, it addresses abstract questions about the ultimate nature of things, relying on reason rather than solely on empirical tests.
Q2
How scholars refer to the treatises written by Aristotle
Answer
Book 1 is called Alpha (Α); 2, little alpha (α); 3, Beta (Β); 4, Gamma (Γ); 5, Delta (Δ); 6, Epsilon (Ε); 7, Zeta (Ζ); 8, Eta (Η); 9, Theta (Θ); 10, Iota (Ι); 11, Kappa (Κ); 12, Lambda (Λ); 13, Mu (Μ); 14, Nu (Ν).
Q3 Write down summary of his book.
Answer
Books I–VI: Alpha, little Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon
Book I (Alpha): Wisdom is knowing first causes and principles—the “why” behind things—not just facts from memory or senses. Aristotle reviews earlier philosophers’ ideas about first causes, up to Plato.
Book II (little Alpha): There can’t be an endless chain of causes. Things that begin or end need causes, so there must be a first, eternal cause.
Book III (Beta): Lists the main puzzles of philosophy—the big problems we need to solve.
Book IV (Gamma): Defends metaphysics as its own subject and upholds two key logical rules:
The principle of non-contradiction: something can’t both be and not be in the same way.
The excluded middle: there’s no middle option between a statement and its direct denial.
Book V (Delta): A mini-dictionary of key terms like cause, nature, one, many, etc.
Book VI (Epsilon): Ranks sciences. Theoretical sciences are highest because they study things for their own sake. “First philosophy” (study of being as being) is the highest of these. It also says “accidents” (features that happen by chance and not by necessity) aren’t suitable for strict scientific study.
Book VII (Zeta): Substance
· Focuses on “substance” (what a thing really is).
· Considers candidates for substance: essence (what-it-is), universals, genera, and matter.
· Rejects matter alone as substance—stripped of properties, it is nothing; substance must be a definite “this.”
· Argues that essence (what makes a thing the kind of thing it is) is key to being a substance.
· Rejects universals and genera as substances and criticizes Platonic Forms.
· Concludes that substance is fundamentally a cause.
Book VIII (Eta): Difference and Unity
· Recaps Book VII’s discussion of substance.
· Adds points about difference and unity.
Book IX (Theta): Potentiality and Actuality
· Explains potentiality and actuality.
· Potentiality: the capacity to change or to be otherwise.
· Actuality: the fulfilled state—having that capacity realized.
· Their relationship is like matter and form, but also involves time (potential becomes actual).
Books X–XIV: Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu
Book X (Iota): Discusses unity and the ideas of one/many, same/different.
Book XI (Kappa): Short summaries of earlier topics and some Physics material.
Book XII (Lambda): Talks about first principles and God/the gods; introduces the “unmoved mover,” pure thinking that moves things as a final cause.
Books XIII–XIV (Mu, Nu): Deals with the philosophy of mathematics, especially what kind of existence numbers have.
Q3
What is the legacy of Aristotle’s Metaphysics?
Answer.
Greek thinkers, Muslim philosophers, Jewish scholars like Maimonides, medieval Christian philosophers, and even writers such as Dante were greatly influenced by the Aristotle’s Metaphysics.
· In the third century, Alexander of Aphrodisiac analyses the first part of the Metaphysics.
· Themistius created a shorter summary of the work.
Neo-Platonist philosophers like Syrians and Asclepius also wrote commentaries, trying to blend Aristotle’s ideas with their own Neo-Platonism worldview.
Arabic scholarship on Aristotle later reached its height with Averroes, whose detailed commentaries earned him the title “The Commentator.” Maimonides, in the 12th century, also tried to show how Aristotle’s science fit with the teachings of the Bible.
Later, during the Fourth Crusade, many original Greek manuscripts were brought to Western Europe. This allowed William of Moerbeke to create accurate Latin translations. His translations helped major medieval thinkers—Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus—write their own commentaries on the Metaphysics, and they are still valuable to modern scholars because they were based on Greek manuscripts that no longer exist.
Q4
What are the key concepts in Aristotle’s Metaphysics?
Answer
Key Concepts
Being and Substance (Ousia)
· Substance is the fundamental reality.
· Everything that exists has a substance, which is what makes it what it is.
Key idea: It is independent—a basic entity that is not a property of something else.
Form and Matter
· Everything is a combination of form (essence) and matter (stuff it’s made of).
· Form gives things their identity; matter gives things their physical existence.
Causes and Explanation
Aristotle’s four causes explain why things exist:
a) Material cause – what it’s made of
b) Formal cause – its form or essence
c) Efficient cause – how it came to be
d) Final cause – its purpose or goal
Potentiality and Actuality
· Potentiality: what something can become
· Actuality: what something is in reality
· Example: A seed can become a tree (potentiality); when it grows, it is a tree (actuality).
The Unmoved Mover
· A perfect, eternal, and unchanging being that causes everything else to move without itself being moved.
· Often associated with the idea of God in later interpretations.
Q5
Can Aristotle’s Metaphysics Be Applied Practically?
· Final Cause (Telos): The purpose or goal for which something exists. Works naturally for living beings and artifacts.
· Geometric point example:
o A point or the centre of a circle is a purely abstract entity.
o Alone: It has no intrinsic purpose → Aristotle’s final cause does not apply directly.
o Practical context: If the circle is used in a wheel, compass, or design, the centre serves a functional role, illustrating a practical implementation of Aristotle’s teleology.
· Learning point: Aristotle’s teleology is practical and goal-oriented, and abstract entities require human-oriented interpretation to apply the concept of final cause.
Q 6
Critical Analysis of Aristotle’s Metaphysics: What Are Its Key Concepts and Modern Critiques?
Answer
Aristotle’s Concept
Description
Modern Critique / Challenge
Being as Being (Ontology)
Study of existence in its most general sense; distinguishes primary and secondary beings.
Modern philosophy often questions if “being” can be abstracted this way; analytic philosophy focuses on language and logic rather than essence.
Substance (Ousia)
Independent reality underlying attributes; the “essence” of a thing.
Quantum physics and process philosophy suggest entities are relational or dynamic, not fixed substances.
Form and Matter (Hylomorphism)
Everything is a combination of matter (substrate) and form (essence).
Emergent phenomena and modern physics show patterns that can’t always be reduced to simple form-matter combinations.
Potentiality & Actuality
Things have capacities (potential) that can be realized (actual).
Evolution and complexity theory describe change without fixed “potentials”; potentiality is less clear-cut in open systems.
Four Causes
Material, formal, efficient, and final causes explain why things exist.
Modern science relies mostly on efficient (mechanistic) causes; final causes (purposes) are generally rejected in nature.
Teleology / Final Cause
Nature acts toward ends; everything has a purpose.
Biology and physics mostly reject intrinsic purpose; natural selection explains adaptation without “design.”
Unmoved Mover
First cause that initiates motion but is itself unmoved; ultimate source of actuality.
Seen as abstract and metaphysical; lacks empirical evidence; considered less relevant in modern cosmology.
