nonmetaphysics

Nonmetaphysics is a philosophical stance or methodological orientation that seeks to minimize or exclude metaphysical claims about the ultimate nature of reality. Proponents emphasize statements that are observable, testable, or practically useful, such as those grounded in empirical science, logical analysis, or linguistic clarification. In this sense, nonmetaphysics contrasts with metaphysics, which asks questions about being, substance, necessity, universals, or the fundamental structure of reality beyond experience.

Historically, nonmetaphysical tendencies arose with empiricism and the scientific revolution and were carried forward by movements such as logical positivism, neopositivism, and various forms of naturalism and ordinary language philosophy. The aim is often to bracket or reframe questions that go beyond empirical inquiry, or to insist that meaningful statements are reducible to observation, experiment, or verifiable criteria.

Practically, nonmetaphysical programs rely on science, formal logic, mathematics, and linguistic analysis. They may treat metaphysical questions as either meaningless or inappropriate for serious inquiry, or as issues to be settled by empirical data or conceptual analysis rather than speculative postulation.

Critics contend that nonmetaphysical approaches can overlook normative, existential, or interpretive dimensions of human life, and that some metaphysical questions may yield valuable insights when approached with disciplined inquiry. Nonetheless, nonmetaphysical methods continue to influence debates in philosophy of science, philosophy of language, and ethics, often underpinning methodological naturalism, instrumentalism, or anti-realist perspectives.