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How does metaphysics differ from epistemology?

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Marble bust of Aristotle with a beard and draped robe, showing detailed facial features and wavy hair, set against a dark background. — metaphysics Detail of a Roman copy (2nd century bce) of a Greek alabaster portrait bust of Aristotle (c. 325 bce); in the collection of the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome.

Metaphysics and epistemology are two of the four main branches of philosophy, but they focus on fundamentally different inquiries.1

Metaphysics is the branch concerned with the nature of being and the first causes of things. It seeks to understand the fundamental reality of existence, often addressing questions about what entities exist and the nature of those entities.23

Epistemology, by contrast, is the study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. While metaphysics asks what is real, epistemology asks how we can know what is real, what constitutes a valid justification for belief, and what the sources of our knowledge are.13

The two fields intersect when philosophers examine the "epistemology of metaphysics"—essentially questioning whether and how we can possess knowledge about metaphysical propositions. Because metaphysicians have historically struggled to reach a consensus on their claims, philosophers often debate whether metaphysical knowledge is possible, how it might be derived (such as through reason, scientific data, or logical analysis), and whether it differs from other forms of knowledge.3