Peter van Inwagen - How Does Metaphysics Reveal Reality?

[@MrSanford65]

When you watch a movie, the frame of the TV set or movie screen enhances the meaning of all that’s inside of it. Meanwhile the exact opposite reality lay just outside of the frame. And so there’s other frames we use, telescopes microscopes - our own two eyes. But the biggest frame is localized time in space. Since time and space is either eternal or wider than what we perceive- everything we see within the frame of time and space is not what it actually is. A tree that falls in the woods is not even a tree, because in all of time and space, what we call a “ Tree” actually goes on forever or at least -we know not whence it begins or ends…..

[@SteveChalom]

I love this answer and agree. Everything is frames of reference. Hence subjective reality. Definitions are arbitrary, and by consensus based on their utility, and so semantics plays a role too. Have a look at teleology, which is definition by function rather than definition by cause. With regards to your tree analogy, the question that the famous thought experiment actually asks is "would the tree make a sound"? which speaks to the definition of sound as heard and interpreted by us vs. Soundwaves as "experienced" by the universe, however it doesn't detract from your answer in any way. Also have a look at idealism, which Robert mentioned briefly, and to which I subscribe at this juncture in my own journey. Also, you'll enjoy this clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIHJeqeOoq6FfZY

[@MrSanford65]

@@SteveChalom everything we think we know is actually displaced by what we think we know. I think in the end , the only way we can have any idea of the truth is to look at what we create in this world and see it as a part of an eternal regression and progression passing through us as vessels. I’ll check out the clip

[@BulentBasaran]

4:09 "Part is a term that can not be defined." That single sentence would be enough to make this video worth watching. We define things in terms of other things while we try to avoid cyclical definitions. That must start somewhere. That place we denote as metaphysics: The questions we ask about the nature of nature. What is thought? What is object? What is time? What is space? What is probability? What is cause? It is a wonder we don't know.

[@projectmalus]

it's not that we don't know but that we don't realize, or allow ourselves to know. To select one thing out is to leave some thing or things behind. Is asserting only allowing on a different level? Vice versa I mean, is allowing merely asserting on a personal level vs the 'exterior'. If everything is already there, allowing it would make more sense especially if the foundation is creativity as Whitehead suggests.

[@cameronpardy1793]

Love your channel, so fascinating. Sometimes, I believe that our minds' power the universe. I mean if we continue to look for answers, we'll find em. When we do, we'll have new questions to answer...and so on and so forth. I would not be surprised if the universe is actually a really big body ( to us humans) and we find it out by looking closer into quantum theory...side note, love the intro from the Simpsons where the start of the universe evoles and eventually zooming out of Homer's eye! Lol..awesome awesome channel. Please, keep up the fantastic work!!

[@TheUltimateSeeds]

Metaphysics helps to reveal reality because metaphysics goes where normal physics *refuses* to set foot.

[@tomjackson7755]

Metaphysics doesn't reveal anything. It is just playing make believe with rules.

[@jeffneptune2922]

@@tomjackson7755 The questions that metaphysics addresses have not been answered by science or religion either. In fact, you could argue the currently in vogue cosmological theory of the "multiverse" is more metaphysics than physics.

[@tomjackson7755]

@@jeffneptune2922 Does addressing something by just making things up have much/any value? I would agree that the "multiverse" is just playing make believe with rules.

[@aleksandarlikic7460]

@@jeffneptune2922 "multiverse" is a hypothesis which hasn't been, and may never be proven. It's not a theory in a scientific sense as it seems unfalsifiable. Same as metaphysical claims. No value in any of these. The only reason metaphysics is at today's level (rather than still believing that the universe is made up of four "elements") are empirical findings. EDIT: I could accept that applied metaphysics may result in potentially useful hypotheses, but nothing more. It doesn't reveal any knowledge. Hypothesis has to be demonstrated to be true (to comport to reality) to graduate to knowledge.

[@tomjackson7755]

@Quam Sorry when you have nothing tangible to back up any of your claims you are just playing make believe with rules. See my philosophy teacher, many moons ago, was very honest about what philosophy actually accomplishes, not much.

[@michaelkistner6286]

I wonder. I suspect the phrasing of your title. Reality is self-disclosing. What we try to do is interpret what that self-disclosure means. We use whatever 'metaphysics' gestures toward to both form our collective story of everything and test it. If that is true we connot escape doing metaphysics either implicitly or explicitly. So why bother? Certainty is at least practically impossible when it comes to the deepest questions of existence (which probably ought to tell us something). But acting sensibly connot be done without taking into account the nature of reality itself. So we ask questions that are ultimately unanswerable with certainty. But the exercise allows us to live skillfully--- one definition of wisdom. Is it worth it? That depends on whether or not life is worth living. An affirmative answer leads me to conclude life is worth living well, meaning lived in such a way as to maximize that worth. Asking metaphysical questions is an integral and essential component of coming to live well. At least for me.

[@chyfields]

It’s all just a story board. Infinity is a very long time to observe alone and without stories.

[@Ploskkky]

Eternal stillness depends on an abundance of excellence. Nature nurtures the progressive expansion of images.

[@thatpoetbobbymask8710]

Are you a poet because that my friend was very poetic

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

Isn't that the word we call life? God created and gave life to the creation ,everything.

[@jaketwigg1065]

Who created God? How long did they take to create God?

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

@@jaketwigg1065 Since God is an eternal being, what? God the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit always has ,always is, always will be. And since eternity has no beginning nor end, what?

[@dan8346]

As much as blurry camera focus shifting to sharp focus does.

[@ladoparts]

That most of what is is unseen is a fact That unseen desires and objectives determine the seen acts of countless lives What is meta physical in terms of interpretation is the size of the inconsistency between our view of the unseen forces any where above us being just out of our line of philosophical teleological sight.

[@souravrakshit4062]

We will construct time frame (4D)of Universe....not space time(3D).

[@souravrakshit4062]

In time frame there is a warm hole between two black holes...like a wave propagation ....It direct indicates Penrose diagram...

[@joegeorge3889]

He's not tell me anything I need him to tell what things are

[@hgracern]

Oh this is a brilliant interview, thank you. …cause seems to be our main obstacle, doesn’t it. Is Now caused by before. Or is before, now. Circular, yes. Thanks. 💕

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

A part is to be apart from other parts. It needs to be in its place doing its part ,also connected to the parts it's supposed to be connected with, doing their parts , apart from the other parts doing their part. Does that dart hit the mark, bullseye?

[@esorse]

Recognizing the distinction between law of non-contradiction consistent non-set theoritic math and religous faith epistemology satisfying set-theory math, which includes venn diagrams, measure theory, topology and lebesque integration, depends upon accepting Russell's illustration of a set theory contradiction : the set of all sets that are not elements of themselves, is a set that is not an element of itself and is not, a set that is not an element of itself, but this may be outside the scope of some elementary mathematics curriculums.

[@ladoparts]

This is where wisdom dies, apparently

[@evaadam3635]

What is beyond the physical world is a forbidden knowledge because we were sent here NOT TO KNOW but TO BELIEVE... ..we lost our Original Home/Heaven because we lost faith in God's love.... so, only by regaining this faith without knowing God that we can return back Home. In othed words, Knowledge beyond the physical would compromise our free will to believe, this is why it is forbidden, otherwise we can never return back Home. Only through FAITH or BELIEF that can save our lost souls because, again, it was losing this faith in God's love that we fell from Heaven, ended in hell., and now on earth for a chance of salvation through faith.

[@jamesmustin7289]

I would like more on the interview

[@MiguelArcangel12]

Just read Aquinas. He got most of this stuff figured out 700 years ago.

[@10mimu]

Nah.

[@stoictraveler1]

Fascinating

[@AbdulAzeez-hg2qf]

Principally how I discern my own consistent imparted from the reality as a complementary navigation system. Which I referred to mean the 'brain '. Necessarily The appearance in incandescent colors sieazed from the consumption of syntax neither the conjuction reveal the reality of truth virtually. Simultaneously illusions profound by my own introspections becomes worth while.

[@kylebushnell2601]

The guy Kuhn is speaking with here is really interesting. I’d like to know more about who he is

[@stevecoley8365]

Metaphysics 101 Transforming frowns into smilies is smarter than turning lead into gold. And transforming heaven (peace) into hell (war) is more ignorant (dead) than turning gold into lead. The clever coyote (greed) is always trying to catch the roadrunner (love). But never does. Because something that is not real (absence of love) can never catch that which is real (love). That coyote (greed) is a crazy clown... The roadrunner is the state bird of the Land of Enchantment. The land of magic (love).

[@aleksandarlikic7460]

The devil is in details.

[@danielogwara3984]

Closer to truth, can you please do an interview or a guy named Morgue? He wouldn’t say “we don’t know” “I don’t know the answer to this question” he will give real, actual logical and rational answers that will be worth debating further. It will be nice to see him on this channel.

[@tomjackson7755]

So you want someone just to make up some 'stories' instead of telling you the truth?

[@danielogwara3984]

@@tomjackson7755 I want someone who actually KNOW to get airtime. What’s the purpose of interviewing someone who clearly doesn’t know? Even if he tells stories, it will be left to me to use my own reason and logic to dissect whatever he says if it makes sense or not. Just bring me someone with SOMETHING to say not someone who answers I don’t know to all the questions.

[@aleksandarlikic7460]

@@danielogwara3984 That's how religions start. People want answers because they are not comfortable with uncertainty ("I don't know"). We want to know, because any unknown is a potential threat which increases anxiety. Once we get some answer (other than "I don't know") which our epistemological framework can accept as true (regardless whether or not it is really true), anxiety drops and we are less neurotic. It seems to me that a big part in a likelihood that one will be religious is one's tolerance to uncertainty. People who are less tolerant to uncertainty are more likely to accept as true false claims, to feel more comfortable.

[@aleksandarlikic7460]

@@danielogwara3984 ... and the purpose to interview someone who doesn't know is to try to establish truth - which can be "we know", or "we don't know". Someone who doesn't know may provide reasons to shut down false claims of those who pretend to know.

[@tomjackson7755]

@@danielogwara3984 So you want someone to lie to you. The other guy has a good point. That is how religions start.

[@dn1697]

... last I heard emotional deficits or disorders are not evidenced by a chemical imbalance in the brain ... I've been struggling with my own grief response for over 20 years ... I've never found a complete solution or precise description to this phenomenon ...

[@ramithuday5042]

how a water sitting in a glass outside becomes a part of you and me after drinking it, means that it became a part of your sensory boundary and cannot differentiate or sense it as separate entity. Expanding our sensory field to experience the universe inside us, dissolves all confusion...

[@nothingisreal2671]

I didn't understand a word he said.

[@markberman6708]

The water philosophy is a bit misunderstood, the metaphysical aspect is that everything flows, everything moves in ways that mimic that movement in some way, shape, or form. It's interesting how life is utterly full of things that no science can explain, much easier to dismiss than to realize part of reality is a misty as fog you cannot see but can feel. Too many people to count have had and lived through impossible things and observed things believed impossible by sciency and maths people. I could make nearly an endless list from my own experiences and then play maths with those saying not possible. Ask someone what does a thousand thousand coincidences mean? Can our most brilliant math minds really math out the probability maths of something that defies all probability? Atheists are fun because they challenge as this gentleman says is necessary and good. Questions lead to places we should go and look for. Energy exists in everything, we may be just organized energy, and if we are, and energy flows like water flows, what are the implications of that? Science without the metaphysical will only ever get halfway there, regardless of brilliance or effort. Push and study hard enough and discover enough where do we, as humans, always end up? Great discussion, thanks for putting your series on and with such thoughtful folks you interview. Funny how so often beneath it all is a feeling of simplicity. Thanks again.

[@606JJ]

Science ends its reason-search in the hypothesis of a First Cause. Religion does not stop in its flight of faith until it is sure of a God of salvation. The discriminating study of science logically suggests the reality and existence of an Absolute. Religion believes unreservedly in the existence and reality of a God who fosters personality survival. What metaphysics fails utterly in doing, and what even philosophy fails partially in doing, revelation does; that is, affirms that this First Cause of science and religion’s God of salvation are one and the same Deity. Religion is so vital that it persists in the absence of learning. It lives in spite of its contamination with erroneous cosmologies and false philosophies; it survives even the confusion of metaphysics. In and through all the historic vicissitudes of religion there ever persists that which is indispensable to human progress and survival: the ethical conscience and the moral consciousness. When man approaches the study and examination of his universe from the outside, he brings into being the various physical sciences; when he approaches the research of himself and the universe from the inside, he gives origin to theology and metaphysics. The later art of philosophy develops in an effort to harmonize the many discrepancies which are destined at first to appear between the findings and teachings of these two diametrically opposite avenues of approaching the universe of things and beings.

[@aucontraire593]

Have Peter Hacker on for a critique of metaphysics.

[@jamesruscheinski8602]

Does a part have a physical connection to a whole?

[@theliamofella]

Does your shin bone have a physical connection to your knee bone and do they have a physical connection to your leg?

[@projectmalus]

three sets, matter/anti-matter, time symmetric/anti-symmetric, asymmetry of time/entropy. A part connecting to time with imagination. Imagination as time symmetric, a tool for fighting entropy, to slow the transition to the anti-matter. The imaginative trajectory the same as the time segment, efficient like the brachistochrone curve, the part matching the whole.

[@theliamofella]

@@projectmalus dumb that down a little bit please, just pretend you are talking to a child

[@evanjameson5437]

Discussions, delving into the spiritual world and the philosophy of the beyond, is worthy of ongoing debate and speculation--it helps.. as illustrated by this joke: There was an Annual Meeting for "World Wide Para-Normal Activities"--it was held in a huge auditorium and was sold out with thousands in attendance. The main speaker got up with a microphone and said Welcome to our annual review of para-normal activities around the world--now let's see how the last year went--by a show of hands how many people here would say that in the last year they FELT the presence of a ghost? About 1,000 hands went up--he said How interesting--but let's narrow it down some--by a show of hands how many people would say that in the last year they actually SAW a ghost--this time only about 50 hands went up--he said That's truly something, OK now, let's really narrow it down here--how many people here would say that in the last year they actually had SEX with a ghost--looking around the entire auditorium only 1 hand went up--it was an old Man at the back of the audience--the speaker jumped off the stage, ran up to the old Man, put the mic up to him and said Now look here, that's truly amazing--you actually had sex with a ghost?? The old Man said--Oh! I thought you said Goat!

[@redmatters9318]

Enter the fantasy realm . All is NOTHING part of NOTHING from NOTHING. IMAO. Really magical puff. G'day from Australia mate. THINKING. :)

[@ladoparts]

That does not add up. You get an F

[@ladoparts]

@Lord Methane shame

[@timemechanicone]

SOLVED - EVERYTHING 🖖

[@bluelotus542]

Since everything is simultaneously one and different, matter is simultaneously real (we can perceive it) and unreal (its manifestations are ephemeral).

[@Mr.Witness]

Everything is finite . Not different . The only thing we percieve is whats real. There is no such thing as the unreal

[@bluelotus542]

@@Mr.Witness If you try to eat the reflected image of a cake in the mirror, you'll be disappointed. Matter is like this: it looks really enjoyable, but it leaves you empty handed.

[@Mr.Witness]

@@bluelotus542 when matter is in my hand. It is in my hand . Idk what your confusd about

[@bluelotus542]

@@Mr.Witness Yes, you can perceive it because it's real, but being also ephemeral, at the end of the day both your material hand and what it holds will vanish.

[@Mr.Witness]

@@bluelotus542 what indication do you have of ephermeralness and why fo you think there is such a thing a ephemeral.

[@AdityaVerma-br3im]

"Parts and Wholes"! Not "Parts and Holes"! Though I would have really enjoyed a discussion on the metaphysics of holes... Would that increase my rizz?

[@surendrakverma555]

Good discussion 🙏🙏🙏

[@-AndAllThatJazz..]

not even gonna watch this . insulting . metaphysics ? not a science show definitely nope .

[@jamesruscheinski8602]

Everything is part of existence?

[@yednekachewgeremew1886]

Like this conversation single meta considered as division when trying to explain meta with part of believe s system then it's fragmented conversation i.e beefing

[@jonmeador8637]

It doesn't. They're making the same arguments today they were in 1300.. Ergo: metaphysics is false.

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

John 20:24 but Thomas, one of the 12, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 the other disciples therefore said unto him. We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 and after 8 days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, peace be unto you. 27 then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side and be not faithless, but believing. 28 and Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30 and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

[@S3RAVA3LM]

My kind of video -- Instead of jumping to conclusion, let's discuss it thoroughly, contemplatively. If you agree, good, if you do not, that's good too. Theologians are technically metaphysicians; metaphysics is philosophy; philosophy is Spirituality.

[@vladvlaovich9930]

His logic of LIFE: is it logically dependent on the Lockean primary quality of EXTENSION?

[@jamesconner8275]

Much of philosophy is the undue refinement of the relatively inessential; maybe most.

[@ChuckBrowntheClown]

Chair being made up of parts ,bodies made up of parts, body of Christ is made up of parts.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

spoiler alert...it doesn't. This is why it is called metaphysics.

[@anyanyanyanyanyany3551]

I see verificationists are still trying to bare their fangs. It's all a good joke. The 1960s are long over.

[@williamburts5495]

Everything doesn't have a cause, a cause is something existent therefore it can't be the cause of existence since existence is the basis of cause. So ultimate reality or existence is uncaused and would be unmanifested, independent, eternal, infinite, and primeval and would be what everything rest in. A country is a part of a planet not the whole planet, finite things represent parts but infinite reality itself represents the whole.

[@DarioloLegion]

So i guess that the numerous countries that you nominated in form of words that you used in this comment, i guess none of them can efficiently say any given totality (also in this sentence i just said there would be the same contraddiction), since they (these words you, and me at this point, are using) are just a part of the "whole"? Also: is "ultimate reality" the same as "existence"? If so, how come that "infinite", "dependant", "unmanifestated", determinations you attach to your "prime thing", wouldn't be the same as "cause", "caused",, or "potato"? Alsoalso, the concept of "undependent" depends on the name we recognize it through.

[@williamburts5495]

@@DarioloLegion No track of land ( which is what a country is ) on the surface of a planet can be said to be the whole planet but a part of it. You asked is ultimate reality the same as existence ? It is ultimate existence. Matter and consciousness are just two sides of the same coin called reality but they are different by their dharma ( intrinsic nature ).

[@leonoradompor8706]

Jesus Mary don’t vow to Kings and mighty, It is the kings 3 wise men 3 maggi vowed To God Jesus***

[@dharmadefender3932]

It doesn't. Metaphysics obscures reality.

[@soubhikmukherjee6871]

Let's buy the t-shirt 😂😂

[@xspotbox4400]

Yes, everything is made from a mighty hydrogen proton, with a little help from his electron friends.

[@xenphoton5833]

So a hydrogen proton is made from a hydrogen proton?

[@tufail1823]

What is a hydrogen proton?

[@xspotbox4400]

@@tufail1823 I don't know, that's my point. Nobody knows, this stuff simply can't be visualized in any way humans are capable of. All we can do is perform some measurements and present visualizations using some statistical averages, by using the same unknown and undefined stuff for experiments.

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Meta Nonsense. The Woo Channel strikes again.

[@maxwellsimoes238]

He reality philosophy blur, so when he is said about reality is obvius .Comments philosophy show him not KNOW how figure out philosophy. pseudphilisophy his comments , so discussion for nothing.

[@kuroryudairyu4567]

I honestly don't know how people talk about metaphysical "reality" WITH LITERALLY LESS THAN ZERO evidences nor proofs...........i can't understand if they're just arrogant stupid people or only lucrative ones

[@dongshengdi773]

metaphysics refers to the studies of what cannot be reached through objective studies of material reality. ... Metaphysics might include the study of the nature of the human mind, the definition and meaning of existence, or the nature of space, time, and/or causality.

[@kuroryudairyu4567]

@@dongshengdi773 no. Give me a single proof or serious evidence and I'll believe

[@hiyoowihamainza949]

This is a misunderstanding of what metaphysics is. There isn't really such a thing as a 'metaphysical' reality, as such. There are various metaphysical positions that configure reality in different ways. Even mainstream physicalism, with subatomic particles, quantum fields, forces, is a metaphysics insofar as one believes these are mind-independent facts about existence. Physics tells you what matter does, metaphysics speculates on what it is.

[@maxwellsimoes238]

Honestely he are unable talking methafisic, so he dont KNOW methafisic than Philosophy.

[@kuroryudairyu4567]

@@hiyoowihamainza949 it's way more simple to me buddy, i believe only what gives me a reason to be believed, so i like proofs and evidences at least, and not just beautiful talks or ideas or "studies"

[@fortynine3225]

The universe from nothing is prettymuch proof that there is something beyond this universe which is non physical. When there is a higher dimension all of this is not real also. Which would make our existence in this universe a dream. Other than that we are always in the here and now. Even if we would not be here there would still be a here and now. The here and now is not physical is also the thing mystics explore.

[@Mr.Witness]

The issue is what you mean by universe . If it rxist its in the universe… the universe is the place where everything that exists exist. Which is why the whole idea of something coming from nothing is a contradiction and metaphysically impossible. This is also why the idea of a God is absurd. As eell as the idea of the supernatural or the multiverse . All absurdities caused my imprecise concepts. Existence exists and nothing else because nothing is NO thing it is the absence of anything. Nothing is no place at all, its just not another type of something its nothing at all.

[@kipponi]

@@Mr.Witness And what is nothing at all? It is impossible to think.

[@projectmalus]

If there is matter and anti-matter, the nothing is the anti-matter and the universe is the matter, perhaps they trade places once in a while. The macro universe is time asymmetric, not so the micro scale. Are these two sets related?

[@Mr.Witness]

@@projectmalus Anti Matter being conceptualized as not having the quality of existing in the universe makes it nothing. Whatever you are calling anti matter if it exists it is in the universe. The problem isnt what science claims it discovers , its what it is conceptualizing it as. As i said the notion of “anti matter” or “non existence” are absurd if that involves it BEING nothing. Nothing is not another type of something , IT IS NO THING i.e it doesnt exist. Everything that exist is in the universe because the universe MEANS the one realm of ALL things that exist, if it exist its in existence. Existence is the universe. Universe is not just a “galaxy “ or “dimension” its the total sum of existence.

[@AbdulAzeez-hg2qf]

Principally how I discern my own consistent imparted from the reality as a complementary navigation system. Which I referred to mean the 'brain '. Necessarily The appearance in incandescent colors sieazed from the consumption of syntax neither the conjuction reveal the reality of truth virtually. Simultaneously illusions profound by my own introspections becomes worth while.