What is the origin of metaphysical realism? in Questions || Publen

Philosophy -> Metaphysics and Ontology
0 Comment

What is the origin of metaphysical realism?

Shanika Killgus

Hey there,

The origin of metaphysical realism dates back to ancient Greek philosophy, specifically to the works of Plato. Plato believed in the existence of an objective reality that exists independently of our perceptions. He coined the term 'Forms' or 'Ideas' which referred to the perfect, immutable and eternal essences of things. He believed that these Forms were the true reality and that the objects we see around us are merely imperfect copies or imitations of these Forms.

Metaphysical realism gained prominence in the medieval period, especially among the Scholastics. They believed that reality was made up of individual substances or essences that have an objective existence. They also believed in the existence of God as the absolute creator of all reality.

In the modern period, philosophers such as Descartes, Leibniz, and Spinoza continued to explore the metaphysical nature of reality. They attempted to reconcile the ideas of substance and attributes with the laws of physics and mathematics. They believed that the world is made up of individual substances that have various attributes such as shape, size, and motion.

Later, in the twentieth century, metaphysical realism gained renewed attention with the development of scientific realism. Scientific realism is the view that the phenomena observed by science are the real features of the world, which exist independently of our scientific theories. The scientific realist takes the regularities observed by science, such as laws of physics, to be part of the fundamental reality of the world.

In conclusion, the origin of metaphysical realism can be traced back to ancient Greece, specifically to the works of Plato. It gained prominence in the medieval period and continued to be explored in the modern period. The development of scientific realism in the twentieth century renewed interest in metaphysical realism, and it continues to be an important philosophical concept today.