Part 7003

<hw><hw>Met`a*phras"tic</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Met`a*phras"tic*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Gr. <?/.]</ety> <def>Close, or literal.</def>

<h1>Metaphysic</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met`a*phys"ic</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82taphysique</ets>.]</ety> <def>See <er>Metaphysics</er>.</def>

<h1>Metaphysic</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met`a*phys"ic</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Metaphysical.</def>

<h1>Metaphysical</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met`a*phys"ic*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82taphysique</ets>. See <er>Metaphysics</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Of or pertaining to metaphysics.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>According to rules or principles of metaphysics; <as>as, <ex>metaphysical</ex> reasoning</as>.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Preternatural or supernatural.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>The golden round *Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Metaphysically</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met`a*phys"ic*al*ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In the manner of metaphysical science, or of a metaphysician.</def>

<i>South.</i>

<h1>Metaphysician</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met`a*phy*si"cian</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82taphysicien</ets>.]</ety> <def>One who is versed in metaphysics.</def>

<h1>Metaphysics</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met`a*phys"ics</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Gr. <?/ <?/ <?/ after those things which relate to external nature, after physics, fr. <?/ beyond, after + <?/ relating to external nature, natural, physical, fr. <?/ nature: cf. F. <ets>m\'82taphysique</ets>. See <er>Physics</er>. The term was first used by the followers of Aristotle as a name for that part of his writings which came <ets>after</ets>, or followed, the part which treated of <ets>physics</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>The science of real as distinguished from phenomenal being; ontology; also, the science of being, with reference to its abstract and universal conditions, as distinguished from the science of determined or concrete being; the science of the conceptions and relations which are necessarily implied as true of every kind of being; phylosophy in general; first principles, or the science of first principles.</def>

<note>&hand; <i>Metaphysics</i> is distinguished as <i>general</i> and <i>special</i>. <stype>General metaphysics</stype> is the science of all being as being. <stype>Special metaphysics</stype> is the science of one kind of being; as, the <i>metaphysics</i> of chemistry, of morals, or of politics. According to Kant, a systematic exposition of those notions and truths, the knowledge of which is altogether independent of experience, would constitute the science of metaphysics.</note>

<blockquote>Commonly, in the schools, called <b>metaphysics</b>, as being part of the philosophy of Aristotle, which hath that for title; but it is in another sense: for there it signifieth as much as "books written or placed after his natural philosophy." But the schools take them for "books of supernatural philosophy;" for the word <b>metaphysic</b> will bear both these senses. <i>Hobbes.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Now the science conversant about all such inferences of unknown being from its known manifestations, is called ontology, or <b>metaphysics</b> proper. <i>Sir W. Hamilton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote><b>Metaphysics</b> are the science which determines what can and what can not be known of being, and the laws of being, a priori. <i>Coleridge.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Hence: The scientific knowledge of mental phenomena; mental philosophy; psychology.</def>

<blockquote><b>Metaphysics</b>, in whatever latitude the term be taken, is a science or complement of sciences exclusively occupied with mind. <i>Sir W. Hamilton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Whether, after all, A larger <b>metaphysics</b> might not help Our physics. <i>Mrs. Browning.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Metaphysis</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Me*taph"y*sis</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[NL., fr. Gr. <?/ after + <?/ nature.]</ety> <def>Change of form; transformation.</def>

<h1>Metaplasm</h1> <Xpage=918>

<hw>Met"a*plasm</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>metaplasmus</ets>, Gr. <?/; <?/ beyond, over + <?/ to mold: cf. F. <ets>m\'82taplasme</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Gram.)</fld> <def>A change in the letters or syllables of a word.</def>