first philosophy
Quick Summary
"First philosophy," also known as ontology, is the branch of philosophy that studies being itself. It delves into the fundamental nature of existence, exploring the first causes and the most basic types of being upon which all others depend. In ancient and medieval philosophy, this was the primary focus of metaphysics.123
The term "ontology" was coined in the 17th century and later popularized by Christian Wolff, who contrasted it with "special metaphysics" that focused on specific subjects like the soul or God. Today, ontology remains a central discipline in philosophy, concerned with questions about what exists, whether entities are discovered or created, and whether they are reducible to other forms of reality.2
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