Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that asks deep questions about what exists, what reality is, and what it means for something to be. It explores ideas like time, space, cause, and the nature of the mind.
From Greek ‘meta ta physika,’ meaning ‘after the Physics,’ because these works by Aristotle were placed after his writings on nature. Over time, the phrase came to mean the study of what lies beyond physical science.
Metaphysics wasn’t originally a fancy word for ‘beyond physics’—it was literally a bookshelf label: the stuff ‘after the Physics.’ A simple editorial choice accidentally named one of the deepest areas of human thought.
Metaphysics as an academic field has historically been dominated by men, and many canonical metaphysical systems embedded gendered assumptions about mind, body, and social order. Women philosophers’ metaphysical work was often marginalized or excluded from curricula.
Use “metaphysics” neutrally while recognizing that philosophical canons have been shaped by gendered exclusions, and include diverse thinkers when giving examples.
Women philosophers have contributed significantly to metaphysics, including work on identity, embodiment, and social reality, even when their work was long overlooked.
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