Hard Problem of Metaphysics

The problem of its own possibility. Metaphysics seeks to describe the fundamental nature of reality (being, time, causality, objects). The hard problem is that any such description must be made from within reality, using a human mind, which is a product of that reality. We are like cells in a body trying to describe human anatomy from the inside, using only cellular language. Our concepts (like "cause" or "substance") may be projections of our cognitive architecture, not features of the world-in-itself. Therefore, metaphysics may tell us more about how human minds must think than about how reality must be.

*Example: A metaphysician argues brilliantly that time is an illusion, a block universe. But they still must make their dinner reservation for 7 PM, live with the anxiety of deadlines, and experience the undeniable flow of their own consciousness. The hard problem: The metaphysical theory, even if logically coherent, is existentially inert. It cannot be lived. This suggests metaphysics may be an elaborate, self-consistent language game, decoupled from the reality it purports to explain. We are building castles of abstraction on a foundation (our own perception) we cannot inspect without using the very tools we're inspecting.* Hard Problem of Metaphysics.

by Enkigal January 24, 2026

Metaphysical Mechanics Theory

The attempt to describe the operational principles of the most fundamental aspects of reality: being, consciousness, identity, time, and causality. It's mechanics applied to first philosophy. How does causality work? What is the "mechanism" by which possibility becomes actuality? It's highly abstract, trying to sketch the wiring diagram of existence itself, often using logic and reason rather than empirical data.

*Example: "The philosopher's Metaphysical Mechanics Theory argued that time isn't a river but a 'block universe.' The mechanism of change is an illusion created by consciousness moving along a fixed world-line in the 4D block. His 'mechanics' were a logical model of how eternalism could function to produce our experience of succession."*

by AbzuInExile February 1, 2026

Metaphysical Theory

The broad, foundational branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality, existence, and the fundamental categories of being. It asks: What is real? What is the relationship between mind and matter? It provides the overarching questions and possible answers (idealism, materialism, dualism) within which more specific mechanical theories can be developed.

Example: "Materialism is a Metaphysical Theory. It asserts that everything that exists is ultimately physical matter and energy in motion. It's the big-picture stance. A 'Metaphysical Mechanics Theory' would then try to detail how,

by AbzuInExile February 1, 2026

Metaphysical Hypothesis

Any proposition concerning the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and being that lies beyond or underlies the physical world accessible to science. It deals with questions of what is ultimately real: Is consciousness a product of the brain or a fundamental property of the universe? Do abstract concepts like numbers or justice have a real existence? Metaphysical hypotheses provide the foundational assumptions upon which other systems (science, religion) are built, but are themselves notoriously difficult to test empirically.

Example: "My friend's claim that 'suffering has a purpose that shapes the soul' is a Metaphysical Hypothesis. It's not a scientific statement about pain receptors; it's a claim about the ultimate structure of existence and identity. Arguing with him was futile because we were operating from different metaphysical rulebooks—mine said 'reality is material and random,' his said 'reality is purposeful and spiritual.' We weren't debating facts; we were debating the hidden axioms of the universe."

by Abzunammu February 2, 2026