Dualistic Metaphysics Research Paper

Where would philosophy be without understanding metaphysics? This term defines reality, existence and belief. Many philosophers have diverse views over this subject, including David Hume and Rene Descartes. Plato focuses his view on dualistic metaphysics, and Aristotle focuses his view on materialistic metaphysics. I will define metaphysics, dualistic metaphysics, materialistic metaphysics, and which philosopher I agree with the most. Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy which determines what reality is. Many philosophers answer questions over reality by relating it to a conscious or unconscious thought. In science, they try proving or disproving reality and ideas. Two philosophers which held different views on this subject were David Hume

He found that understanding what a substance was proof to being the reality. “It is the concrete, individual things, that are real” (Lavine, 70). Even though all species posses distinctive characteristics, they are all the same species. “Moreover, the oak tree is the actuality of the potentiality of the acorn, but the oak tree, in turn, may be potentially, or matter, of a house, which is its actualization” (Lavine, 71). An acorn can always become an oak tree. However, if a person needs to build a house, they may have to cut it down to become wood for that house. This leads Aristotle to discuss the four causes. ‘The first cause is the material cause, what is used to build it. Second, is cormal cause, what is to be built. Third is efficient cause, what tools are needed to build. Finally, the final cause, the purpose of it’ (Lavine, 72). To understand this more I thought about my own self while I was reading it. In the substance of my schooling, I first had to figure out which school to go to. Subsequently, I had to pick which classes are required for my degree. Next, I had to obtain books and school supplies needed for my classes. Finally, I will acheive my purpose by attaining my degree in Optometry. Aristotle also considered an alternative view on God than that of Plato. He saw God as “the Unmoved Mover, the eternal first cause or all change or motion in the universe” (Lavine, 73). He only

Platonists favor absolute truths of math and logic, whereas Aristotelians favor concrete particular things’ (Lavine, 70). ‘Moreover, Platonists believe eternal form constitutes reality, whereas Aristotelians believe concrete and individual things are real’ (Lavine, 70) I feel the views of Aristotle are more relatable to me. In my past I would have probably said otherwise because I understand math very well, however I believe that one must use their sense to attain reality. I feel that science does a more adequate job at understanding this reality than math and logic do. Even with this belief, I feel that one can have faith and at least some understanding of the unseen world that Plato talks about. However, that view is not a reality only an idea or thought, even if it is a