Dr. Stephen Hicks

That is to say, we have to also be talking about the nature of reality.

That is to say, we have to also be talking about the nature of reality.

That's right. What's the furniture of the universe, so to speak? What's real and what isn't real? So the question is, anytime I want to say, you know, this is true or this is real or this is a fact, right, or whatever, that's to make a claim about reality. And then the follow-up claim always is, well, how do you know that? So you're making the claim, but you're also making a justificatory claim.

That's right. What's the furniture of the universe, so to speak? What's real and what isn't real? So the question is, anytime I want to say, you know, this is true or this is real or this is a fact, right, or whatever, that's to make a claim about reality. And then the follow-up claim always is, well, how do you know that? So you're making the claim, but you're also making a justificatory claim.

That's right. What's the furniture of the universe, so to speak? What's real and what isn't real? So the question is, anytime I want to say, you know, this is true or this is real or this is a fact, right, or whatever, that's to make a claim about reality. And then the follow-up claim always is, well, how do you know that? So you're making the claim, but you're also making a justificatory claim.

So reality, and then broadly speaking, when we try to say things about what's true about reality as a whole, then we are doing metaphysics. The special sciences say we're studying physics or chemistry or biology, but if we can step back and say, Are, for example, space and time features of the universe as a whole? Is the universe eternal or infinite in various dimensions? Does a god exist or not?

So reality, and then broadly speaking, when we try to say things about what's true about reality as a whole, then we are doing metaphysics. The special sciences say we're studying physics or chemistry or biology, but if we can step back and say, Are, for example, space and time features of the universe as a whole? Is the universe eternal or infinite in various dimensions? Does a god exist or not?

So reality, and then broadly speaking, when we try to say things about what's true about reality as a whole, then we are doing metaphysics. The special sciences say we're studying physics or chemistry or biology, but if we can step back and say, Are, for example, space and time features of the universe as a whole? Is the universe eternal or infinite in various dimensions? Does a god exist or not?

Those are all metaphysical questions. So to come back to, and this is just one more point that I wanted to make, is that all of the things that we talk about, when we start talking about sense perception and forming concepts and grammar and logic and stories and statistics,

Those are all metaphysical questions. So to come back to, and this is just one more point that I wanted to make, is that all of the things that we talk about, when we start talking about sense perception and forming concepts and grammar and logic and stories and statistics,

Those are all metaphysical questions. So to come back to, and this is just one more point that I wanted to make, is that all of the things that we talk about, when we start talking about sense perception and forming concepts and grammar and logic and stories and statistics,

all of that has to work right from the beginning with doing some philosophy of mind that is to say what is this thing that we call the mind and one of the things that early modern philosophy now this is 1400s 1500s on into the 1600s was simultaneously struggling with was understanding the human being.

all of that has to work right from the beginning with doing some philosophy of mind that is to say what is this thing that we call the mind and one of the things that early modern philosophy now this is 1400s 1500s on into the 1600s was simultaneously struggling with was understanding the human being.

all of that has to work right from the beginning with doing some philosophy of mind that is to say what is this thing that we call the mind and one of the things that early modern philosophy now this is 1400s 1500s on into the 1600s was simultaneously struggling with was understanding the human being.

And if, for example, you have what was common for many centuries, let's say a dualistic understanding of the human being, that the human being is a body but also a soul, or a physicality plus a spiritual element, and that these are two very different metaphysical things. One is subject to corruption and the other is, in principle, eternal.

And if, for example, you have what was common for many centuries, let's say a dualistic understanding of the human being, that the human being is a body but also a soul, or a physicality plus a spiritual element, and that these are two very different metaphysical things. One is subject to corruption and the other is, in principle, eternal.

And if, for example, you have what was common for many centuries, let's say a dualistic understanding of the human being, that the human being is a body but also a soul, or a physicality plus a spiritual element, and that these are two very different metaphysical things. One is subject to corruption and the other is, in principle, eternal.

And that they have different ontological makeups, different agendas, different ultimate destinies. Then on the metaphysics side, how do those two come together? How do they work together? How do they fit together? What's the proper understanding of those two? But that... metaphysical understanding of what it is to be a human being will shape how you think about epistemology right from the get-go.

And that they have different ontological makeups, different agendas, different ultimate destinies. Then on the metaphysics side, how do those two come together? How do they work together? How do they fit together? What's the proper understanding of those two? But that... metaphysical understanding of what it is to be a human being will shape how you think about epistemology right from the get-go.

And that they have different ontological makeups, different agendas, different ultimate destinies. Then on the metaphysics side, how do those two come together? How do they work together? How do they fit together? What's the proper understanding of those two? But that... metaphysical understanding of what it is to be a human being will shape how you think about epistemology right from the get-go.