Ontology vs Metaphysics: What’s the Difference?
The difference at a glance
Ontology is a specific branch within the broader field of metaphysics. Metaphysics encompasses all study of ultimate reality, including time, space, causality, and existence.
Example sentences are illustrative learning examples, not verified quotations.
What does Ontology mean?
noun · /ɒnˈtɒl.ə.dʒi/
The branch of metaphysics that concerns itself with the nature of being and existence — what kinds of things exist, and what it means to exist at all.
Explore OntologyOntology in a sentence
The novel raised ontological questions: was the narrator real within the story's own logic?
His ontology was materialist — he believed that only physical things truly existed.
What does Metaphysics mean?
noun · /ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪks/
The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality, including questions about existence, being, space, time, causality, and consciousness.
Explore MetaphysicsMetaphysics in a sentence
The question of whether consciousness survives death is metaphysics — undecidable by any current method.
She studied metaphysics not to find answers but to understand why certain questions resisted them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ontology and Metaphysics?
Ontology is a specific branch within the broader field of metaphysics. Metaphysics encompasses all study of ultimate reality, including time, space, causality, and existence.
What does Ontology mean?
The branch of metaphysics that concerns itself with the nature of being and existence — what kinds of things exist, and what it means to exist at all.
What does Metaphysics mean?
The branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality, including questions about existence, being, space, time, causality, and consciousness.