A Synthesis

Paper on
Metaphysics

Submitted by: Val Anthony Carl A. Mabborang

Submitted to: Dr. Godofredo Nebrija

What do we really mean if we talk about Metaphysics? This perhaps, if we checked upon
its etymology, according to Norris Clarke on his book “Central Problem of Metaphysics” we can
see there that it came from (meta ta physica) which means beyond the physical science. In the
thesis statement, “The root and ground of such metaphysical enquiry is the unrestricted drive to
know all that there is to know about what there is,” will discuss the overarching totality of what
metaphysics wants us to be familiar with.

In Norris Clarke’s book, human being was discussed to be the spokesperson of all beings
in the world or “aletheia” unveiling of the truth. Allow me then to at least how the word Aletheia
was formed. As far as I know, the river “lethe” is the river of forgetfulness and ‘A’ is a negation
and thus, the negation of forgetfulness is remembering. By unveiling what really the truth is, is
very hard to do. Why? Because such unveiling has its risky consequences, this happenings are
really rampant back then and until in this present time. Like for instance, what did happened to
Socrates when he is unveiling the truth. Isn’t it that they kill him because of such politicians did
not accept what Socrates did tell to them. Like in Plato’s Allegory of the cave, the man that have
saw the reality outside the cave that there is more to life or there is something beyond outside the
cave. But then his companions or should I say majority of his companions are not pleased to
what he just said to them and they put him into death. I said also that until in this present time,
like for instance the movie series “Narcos” some high rank officers there are frightened to tell
what truly the truth is because the Godfather of these narco-traffickers will kill them and so they
will remain into deep silence. There are also some cops there that’s not afraid to tell and fight for
the truth, like Socrates, but then in a short span of time they were likewise put to death.

The metaphysical question “What is in there or out there?” will suffice my discussion,
and this is about being. Norris Clarke discuss being in which is something present. Being when it
is present is of course will correlate to other beings, this will become such uniting tool to expand
its horizons. By expanding the unrestricted drive to know It requires you to exist or present in
reality. Expanding its horizon or your capacity to know requires you to search of what is the truth
among the truth that you’ve heard. What I mean is that you excavate the truth or like I said
earlier you unveil the truth. Unveiling the truth was such processual for me in nature because
truth in its essence will be first. Going out the realm of its truthness or should I say, me for
instance, I will transcend my knowledge about a certain truth that I just grasped, which means
that I must inquire some knowledge and expand it for me to know the totality of its truthfulness.
In grasping some truths you must go to its foundation or this so-called “pre-conscious” and such
obscurity will become completer and fuller light.

Within the discourse of being, there is this distinction on Real and Mental being. Wherein
real being exist in reality, I mean it is finite being where the whole nature and being is manifest
with such relations to the whole or totality of universe. The knowledge of real being is authentic
but always incomplete and perspectival because it is only in the realm of a finite being. While on
the other hand, mental beings only exist in the very own idea. Why I said this two kinds of
Being? Because it will further support my argument about the discourse about being and it is also
important as I will discuss later on about act and potency. But before anything else, I will first
present about what constitutes about the real being. Us, or real being, what is real will act on its
own. By being aware of things will basically constitutes about what truly a real being is. Like for
instance, I know other things because I can experience them by the usage of my sense. I can feel
the table, keyboard, etc. I can see and write about all of a sudden problem in the society. I can
communicate and can exchange ideas to my colleagues. Obviously, a non-communicating, non-
acting will be equivalent to mental being or is to say no being at all.

There is this question in the part of the book which is, what do we mean to be? For me, if
I may relate about my earlier discussion about being, I will be change it to, to be or not to be?
The very discussion about real being I will refer it as to be and no to be as mental being, on the
other hand. To be or real being, will imply the essence and existence to be as one. What I mean
is that to become the steward under God for the material world. To become one of those is to
care about other being like the trees, birds, plants, etc. for human real beings superior among
other beings disregarding the incomprehensible being. In addition, human being as superior to
other beings must expand its inquiry or horizon to nature. While on the other hand, the not to be
or the mental being is a being that have essence only without its beingness or existence.

Change also, plays an important role to such being to another. The capacity of a certain
being to see the overarching reality using a metaphysical inquest will change perspective into
anything but it is limited only on a certain lines, or should I say along the its desired change. In
every change of a being it will not annihilate the past essence of this being that undergoes but
there are some essences that stayed into that certain being. This discourse about change will now
come my discussion about actuality and potentiality. Actuality or actualization is inherent of
such potentiality to become. So it means that you are to potentially to become in so many way
and to successively actualized what you want potentially. Like for instance, In the near future
after graduation I want to have my masters in philosophy and also I want to pursue law, there are
many potential career that I put in mind but then it is for me to actualized if that potential
becoming will pursue or not. This career, for example, is only limited to a possible potency. If I
pursue law or masters, I must change the study habits successively because if not, the potency
that I merely wanted to be will not be attained successively. Therefore, if one wants to be a
changing one is to retain continuing potency for this ever changing means of being, which is
actualized to a yearning continuous acts.

Metaphysics, therefore, plays an important role to human becoming. What I mean is the
real essence of being and what constitutes real being, etc. This unrestricted drive to know is to
transcend or go beyond into the realm of your own finite knowledge which will requires all
enduring entities that have multiple consequences. Unveiling the truth will therefore,
disembarking all frightening possibility that will hinder you to do so.